An Unbreakable Bond
by camlann
Summary: Will a small boy bring the Sarmatians together at last, or will he break them apart? Prequel story to The Peril of Secrets
1. Chapter 1: A Beacon of Light

Disclaimer: I only own Dayn and this plot…and whatever else I've managed to come up with.

A/N: Prequel to "The Peril of Secrets"…you'll probably want to take a look at that because I'm not sure how much sense this will make otherwise.

Chapter 1: A Beacon of Light in a Dark World

Dayn struggled to hold in a sob, as he woke in the dark, alone and afraid. Hearing the door creak open, he scurried out of bed, running to the corner and shrinking down into the shadows. He huddled there, hugging his knees to his chest as boisterous laughter filled the room.

"Shut up, Bors, you'll wake the boy," a voice whispered harshly. Dayn rocked back and forth, listening to the knights as they entered the barracks noisily. He'd been here for a week now, but he had yet to get over his fear of the older Sarmatians. Galahad was only a few years older, but he followed some of the older ones around, and Dayn was too afraid to tag along. Tears filled his eyes as he thought of his twin brother Orren. _Orren, I want you to come back. I'm scared._ Dayn hated being scared, but it seemed as though he'd been nothing but scared or angry since he'd been ripped away from his home.

"Oh, sorry, forgot," Bors murmured drunkenly. The others quietly made their way to their beds, or as quietly as they could when they were half-drunk. _Or completely drunk, like Bors_, Dagonet thought wryly At twenty-one, Dagonet was one of the oldest of the Sarmatians, and he often found himself thrust into the role of chaperone. But there was nothing to be done for it. It would either be himself or Aldric, and since Aldric was away, that left Dagonet to make sure that everyone made it back to the barracks. He led a stumbling Bors to bed before heading for his own bed, trying not to laugh as Lancelot tripped over something on his way.

"Dammit, who left that there?" Lancelot said angrily. Kicking whatever it was out of the way, he threw himself down, asleep the moment he hit the mattress. Dagonet turned to make sure the little one was still asleep, his eyes widening in alarm as he noticed the empty bed.

"Where's the little one?"

"Galahad went to bed hours ago, Dag, and you know he sleeps through just about anything," Gawain said impatiently, ready for sleep himself.

"Not Galahad. The other." Everyone's eyes went to the empty bed, and a chorus of curse words sounded as they realized that if the eight-year-old was missing, they'd all have to search for him.

"He's in the corner," Tristan said, nodding his head in the direction of the corner in which Dayn crouched. Dayn whimpered and put his head down, pretending that if he couldn't see them, then they couldn't see him either. But he knew he was lying to himself.

"Did we scare you?" Dagonet asked softly, crouching down in front of Dayn. Dayn didn't answer, but then, Dagonet really didn't expect him to. The boy hadn't said a word to anyone since the Romans had thrown him at Arthur's feet. "I'm sorry we woke you. We didn't mean to scare you," he murmured. "Come on, I'll tuck you back into bed," he said, holding out his hand. Dayn gazed at him mistrustfully, his lower lip trembling before he slowly placed his hand in Dagonet's.

With a smile, Dagonet led the boy back to his bed and wrapped the blankets snugly around the little boy. Around them, the other knights were turning in, the night's revelry having left them all ready for sleep.

As Dagonet slowly drifted off himself, he heard the boy start to whimper once more. The boy quickly stifled the noise, but Dagonet knew he wasn't asleep. _Arthur's going to have to do something. The boy's practically terrified of us. Not to mention we don't even know his name. _He made up his mind to mention it to Aldric on the morrow. Aldric was best at talking with Arthur, and besides, he was the oldest. _Yes, best let him do it._

* * *

Arthur, I'm worried about the boy." Arthur looked up from his desk to see Aldric standing before him. At twenty-four, Aldric was the oldest of the Sarmatians, older even than Arthur himself. At twenty, Arthur had been given his first command, and he struggled daily with the task of training the young Sarmatians. As the oldest, Aldric had come to Arthur already possessing a number of useful skills, and while the others had fighting skills of their own, most of them needed to refine their skills. Well, most of the others. The younger Sarmatians were too young to be much good on a field of battle yet, but their training was coming along quite well, Arthur thought, though there were times when he despaired of Galahad ever learning to wield a sword. _I just have to keep reminding myself that he's only ten years old. He'll get better with age, I'm sure._

"Which boy do you mean?" Arthur asked in reference to Aldric's question.

"The little one," Aldric answered, and Arthur's head dropped to his chest with weariness. "He still hasn't spoken?"

"No. He's scared all the time, Arthur. Dagonet told me they found him huddling in the corner last night when they came in. The boy barely eats, Arthur, and if this keeps up, he'll waste away before autumn."

"Very well, Aldric. I'll see what I can do," Arthur answered with a weary sigh. _What can I do, when the boy is even more scared of me than he is of his fellow Sarmatians? _Being half-Roman, Arthur knew that the boy was unlikely to trust him anytime soon. _And I can hardly blame him after all he's been through at the hands of Roman soldiers. _Arthur had heard of the incident that had brought Dayn to them, and he knew that it the boy would probably never completely recover from it. "It's almost time for the noon meal. Have the others report to the main hall, and we'll discuss it there."

With a quick nod, Aldric turned smartly and left the room, and Arthur rubbed at his aching temple. _Things are never easy around here. Especially when it comes to the Sarmatians. _

* * *

Caderyn was just rounding the corner, on his way to the main hall, when he heard raucous laughter—_drunken Romans, no doubt_, he thought disdainfully, and he paused, waiting for them to pass by before he continued. No reason to start trouble if there was no cause to. He groaned when he realized they were settling in, a group of four Roman soldiers holding cups of ale as they sat down at a nearby table.

Caderyn slumped against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the ground. He stuck a hand in his pocket, his fingers fumbling for the dice in his pocket, enjoying the smooth feel of the dice as they warmed in his hand. They shiny set of dice was the first thing he'd bought when he'd received his pay for the first time, and he never when anywhere without them. Bored, he gazed at the sky, and finally made up his mind to eavesdrop. _It's not like there's anything better to do_, he thought with a shrug. Inching closer to the corner, he leaned his back and began to listen in on the Romans' conversation.

"So then, Claudius looks at the bitch and asks her what she'd be willing to give us in exchange for us leaving her boys alone," one of the soldiers was saying. "Twins they were, and Claudius figured we could take them in exchange for her overdue taxes. Until of course, she agreed to give us whatever we wanted if we left them alone."

"Yeah, we could have had a good time," another one began, "except one of the boys threatened Claudius with a dagger. And you know how he is…he killed the boy right there, and the other one went mad. We had to give him a knock on the head before we could tie him up and take him to the boat."

"The boy? He's the one they sent to Arthur?"

"Yeah, Dayn, he's called. At least, that's what the bitch called him. We didn't have a chance to have a go at her, but I'm sure we'll be seeing her again soon," he said with a leer. Caderyn pulled away from the corner, thinking of the scared little boy with sad eyes, eyes that had watched his twin brother die. _No wonder he's scared all the time. _Sickened, he stood and walked away, contemplating how he could get even with them. For Dayn.

* * *

When Arthur finally reached the main hall and took his place at the Round Table, most of the Sarmatians were already seated, and he glanced around to see who was missing. _Caderyn, Gawain, and Roland—why am I not surprised?_ _Those three are no doubt finding some sort of trouble, as usual,_ _and Galahad is more than likely being dragged into it_, he thought, thinking of the ten-year-old who liked to follow the three older boys around. The trio, as they were known, were sixteen and all had a penchant for mischief. Luckily they also had a knack for getting out of it, so Arthur usually didn't find himself having to run interference for them. _No, they only save that for special occasions_, he thought, ruefully recalling the time they had taken Roman helms from the armory and replaced the plumes with feathers. There'd been a lot of angry Romans that day, and it had taken a considerable amount of lying to keep the soldiers from learning who the culprits were.

Arthur drummed the tabletop impatiently with his fingers, waiting for the missing boys to show. The little one was missing as well, Arthur noticed, and he hoped fervently that he was with the four boys who were missing. He gazed around the table, looking at the knights who had already arrived. Tristan had brought his hawk to the table again, and it seemed as though no amount of persuasion could convince him to leave the bird in the aviary. The silent eighteen-year-old was currently feeding bits of roast pork to the hawk who took the scraps eagerly. Bors was already well into his second cup of ale, having left the more diluted wine for the others to imbibe. Lancelot, it would appear, had had enough wine and ale to suit him for some time, because he looked rather green when his eyes landed on the food. He looked as though he'd had a long night of revelry, and Arthur guessed that he wouldn't be too eager for a repeat of the hangover he no doubt had.

"So, Arthur, are we going to eat soon?" Arthur turned to see thirteen-year-old Cei staring at him expectantly. Beside him, Roderick looked longingly at the food-laden table as well, and Arthur grinned at the two boys.

"As soon as the others arrive, Cei." Cei sighed and turned to watch Strephon and Uwain throw grapes at each other when Arthur wasn't looking. Gareth looked on in amusement at the two fourteen year olds, considering himself above such behavior, as he was a whole year older then them. Braden and Ingram looked over as well, annoyed by the noise, before resuming their debate over the advantages of a sword as compared to an axe.

"Aw, Arthur, they're always late! Can't we just start without them?" Jarek complained impatiently.

"No, Jarek. We'll eat when everyone is here," he told the fourteen-year-old firmly. Jarek scowled, but Arthur was adamant about it. He wanted them to be a unit, knights who would support one another, and to do that, he insisted that they do things as a group. They needed to be cohesive, and that couldn't happen if the older ones continually did things alone and left the younger ones to fend for themselves.

The doors opened and Gawain and Roland sauntered in, followed closely by Galahad. The two boys were laughing at something, but fell silent when Arthur cleared his throat.

"Boys, do try to come in on time in the future."

"Sorry, Arthur," Gawain said apologetically, speaking for the group. They headed for their respected seats, and Arthur glanced back at the door.

"Where's Caderyn?"

"I dunno. I haven't seen him since he left the barracks this morning," Gawain replied. Arthur scrubbed his eyes with his hands, trying not to sigh as he imagined what sort of trouble Caderyn could be getting into on his own.

"What about the boy? Is he with Caderyn?"

"No, Arthur. He was still asleep when Caderyn left. Someone else was watching him," Gawain said helpfully.

"Where is he then?" Arthur asked, addressing all of the knights. They all looked at one another, and for a moment no one spoke.

"I thought he was with Dag," Bors said finally.

"No. Lancelot was supposed to watch him," Dag said, turning to look at the seventeen year old sitting beside Tristan.

"Lancelot, where's the boy?" The curly haired youth grimaced, looking down at his hands sheepishly.

"Well, I _was_ watching him, but then…well, there was this girl that walked by, and Arthur, you should have seen hershe had these gorgeous blue eyes, and these great…," he trailed off as he noticed the stern look on Arthur's face.

"Lancelot, he's eight years old! You cannot simply leave him alone so you can pursue a wench that strikes your fancy. It's dangerous—he's simply too small to be alone in the garrison. Too many things could happen to him."

"Alright, Arthur. I'm sorry," Lancelot said, looking down once more.

"I'll go look for him, Arthur," Aldric said quietly, standing. Just then, the doors were once again thrown open and a Roman soldier stormed inside, dragging the missing boy in by the scruff of the neck.

"Is this one of yours, Arthur?" the Roman asked with a sneer.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he is. So you'll be paying me for the damage you've done to him," Arthur said with barely concealed anger as he took in the little boy's split lip and bruised cheek.

"This little whelp knocked over an entire barrel of Grecian wine, and you want _me_ to pay damages because I punished him?" he asked incredulously.

"The boy is in my care, and as such, it was not your place to punish him for anything. Had you simply informed me, I would have paid for the loss of the wine, but now…well, you'll be paying me, now. We'll settle the cost later," Arthur said coldly, clearly dismissing the Roman. The angry man glared down at the boy before slinging him roughly to the floor, and storming back out.

Aldric moved to help the boy stand, but he jerked away fearfully and climbed to his feet on his own, moving nervously to the seat that had been designated for him upon his arrival. He settled into the chair, unconsciously swinging feet that didn't reach the ground, and Arthur smiled to see the childlike behavior in the small boy. _He has seen too much to ever be innocent again, but it does my heart good to see him act as a normal child would._

"Does your lip hurt? Or your cheek?" Arthur asked the boy, concerned about the injuries he'd received at the hands of the Roman. The ever silent child said nothing, only shaking his head without meeting Arthur's gaze. Arthur had been assured that the boy was capable of speech from the Romans who'd brought him, but there had been no sign of it from the boy, and Arthur was worried.

"Arthur, it's only Caderyn that's missing now," Roderick spoke up. "So, why don't we start eating," he suggested with a winsome smile. "He'll be along, I'm sure!"

"Then you won't mind waiting," Arthur told him with a smile. Roderick groaned, and crossed his arms across his chest, grumbling to himself about not being able to eat.

Ten minutes later, Caderyn walked in, a pensive look on his usually playful face. He took his seat without a word, an occurrence which was, in itself, unusual. But Arthur chose not to comment as everyone begin to dig into the food eagerly. He watched Caderyn, noticing that Caderyn's eyes went immediately to the boy.

"Dayn?" Caderyn said suddenly. The little boy looked up, waiting expectantly for Caderyn to continue. Arthur's eyes widened, and everyone fell silent as they watched Caderyn smile at Dayn. "I'll be your brother if you want," he told him with kind eyes.

"Would you like that?"

Dayn stared at the boy called Caderyn, feeling some of his fear melt away at the thought of not being alone anymore. He nodded, wondering how Caderyn knew. _If I can't have Orren, then maybe Caderyn will be a good brother._ Suddenly, things didn't seem so scary and Dayn gave Caderyn a small smile.

Arthur smiled too, as he beheld the first step in a long journey towards bringing together a brotherhood of knights.

* * *

A/N: Please read and reviewI'd love to know what you think! I don't know how long this story will last, but there will be at least three more chapters that follow the knights as they grow as a unit and as individuals.


	2. Chapter 2: The Passing of Grief

Disclaimer: See last chapter.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys. Keep 'em coming!

Chapter 2: The Passing of Grief

"Dayn, wake up! It's alright, you're safe now, wake up!" Dayn jerked awake at the sound of Caderyn's voice, feeling the last vestiges of the nightmare slipping away as his eyes opened. Seeing Bors, Dagonet, Aldric, Gawain, and Galahad all staring at him, he flushed, embarrassed by the tears flowing down his face as the others looked on with worry.

"Can we just drug him and get some sleep already?" Lancelot called across the room grumpily. It had been a late night, and he wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep in peace. Dayn felt his throat tighten as a sob rose, and he jumped out of the bed, pushing past the knights who were standing around his bed. Before anyone could catch him, he was outside and running for the stables. When he reached the dark solitude of the stables, he climbed up into the eaves and nestled himself into a corner of the rafters, trembling as he pulled his knees into his chest.

Several hours passed, and still Dayn didn't move. All he could see was the look on his brother's face as the Roman had killed him. He struggled to bury the image, trying hard not to cry even as tears welled up in his eyes. _Knights don't cry,_ he told himself firmly. _If I'm going to be a great knight, then I can't cry anymore._ He sniffled once more before he finally got himself under control. He dried his eyes, and told himself that this would be the last time he cried for his brother. He recalled the leering face of the Roman who had killed Orren, and anger stirred deep in his heart. Grief had passed, and rage rose to fill the void.

"There you are," Caderyn called, and Dayn looked down to see Caderyn staring up at him with a relieved look on his face. "We've been looking for you, Dayn." Tristan was standing beside Caderyn, clucking softly to the hawk perched on his arm, not looking at Dayn. _I wish I had a bird like that. Tristan's bird can do all sorts of things._

"Dayn, come down, now," Caderyn said. "We should get back to bed—it's not even dawn yet." Dayn bit his lip, not sure he was ready to come down yet. He was hurt by Lancelot's comment, and the thought of trying to sleep after his nightmare scared him.

"Please, Dayn," Caderyn pleaded, and Dayn could see the weariness on his face, the desire for sleep apparent.

"I'll stay with him until he comes down, Caderyn. Go back to bed," Tristan said softly.

"But…"

"Now, Caderyn." Reluctantly, Caderyn turned to leave, telling Dayn good night as he trudged back to bed, rubbing at his eyes wearily.

Tristan settled down on the floor with his back to a post, crossing his legs at the ankles. Dayn watched him curiously, wondering if Tristan was going to say something. But Tristan was silent, and slowly Dayn relaxed as he watched the silent scout begin to stroke the top of the hawk's head.

Dayn wasn't aware of falling asleep, nor was he aware when Tristan climbed up after him and carefully carried him back to bed, tucking the blankets around his sleeping form.

* * *

The next morning, Dayn toyed with the food on his plate, not really hungry as he sat at his seat beside Caderyn. Though a month had passed since being brought to Arthur, his appetite remained marginal at best. He just wasn't hungry anymore. Loneliness ate at him daily, and he missed Orren more with every passing day as he watched the others wander off each day to perfect their fighting skills while he was left alone. 

"Arthur, I think it's time that Dayn start to learn swordplay." Dayn looked up at Aldric's words, his eyes alight with hope. "He's small, but I think he's ready," Aldric continued.

"Aldric, you have surely lost your mind. You can't honestly be considering letting the boy wield a sword—he's only eight years old!" Lancelot said loudly. Dayn glared at the curly-haired knight, his dark gaze promising retaliation if Lancelot ruined his chances. But Lancelot failed to notice, and was about to continue when Caderyn interrupted.

"Come off it, Lancelot—he's a smart boy, he'll learn quick," Caderyn said, defending Dayn.

"I don't know, Caderyn," Strephon broke in. "Lancelot has a point—he's eight years old, and he's small at that. It might be too much for him to handle."

"I seem to recall you being a bit on the small side yourself, Strephon, when you first wielded a sword," Aldric pointed out, giving the fourteen-year-old a pointed look.

"He's still on the small side," Bors added with a grin, and Strephon turned angrily.

"Shut-up, Bors! I'm not short! I'm still growing!" the younger boy said, his face an angry shade of red. He'd always been defensive about his small stature, for he wasn't much taller than Galahad, a fact which bothered him immensely.

"What? Can't take the heat now that it's turned on you?" Bors asked derisively. "Yeah, that's what I thought," he said when Strephon fell silent. "So why don't you stay out of it, and let those of us who know better than you discuss it."

"Bors, leave him alone. You're always teasing him, and you know he's sensitive," Dagonet said softly.

"Then he should learn to keep his mouth shut about things he has no room to be talking about," Bors argued.

"Look, why don't you just start teaching the boy how to scout instead," Ingram threw in. "That doesn't take much skill," he added. Tristan turned a cold gaze on him as he found himself pulled into the argument despite his wishes.

"If it takes so little skill, Ingram, then perhaps you would like to try your hand at it. How long do you suppose it will take you to get lost, hmm?" the scout asked with a scornful gaze.

"Tristan, come on, you know I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that…"

"The boy doesn't have the patience to be a scout. It won't happen. Perhaps you should leave the scouting to me, and concentrate on your own lack of skill. I noticed your knife-throwing fails to hit the mark more often than not."

"That has nothing to do with anything, so leave off!" Ingram said angrily, his face heating with embarrassment at being reminded of his difficulty by the younger knight.

"Then perhaps you will remember your own lack of skill before you're so quick to point it out in others," Tristan replied coldly.

"All of your flaws aside, I think we should get back to the matter at hand," Lancelot broke in.

"_Our_ flaws?" Caderyn said incredulously. "You want to talk about flaws? How about you—you're so busy trying to get your hands up some girl's skirts that you can't even manage to be on time for archery practice! No wonder you can't hit the damn target!"

The two began to holler at one another at the top of their lungs, and the others quickly began to chime in as the entire Round Table was pulled into argument. Arthur's head dropped to his chest as he listened to the noise that was beginning to spill out into the corridors.

"That's enough!" he yelled, and surprisingly, it worked. Silence fell, and he turned to stare at the Sarmatians, his stern gaze working around the table to pin each one of them with a look of disappointment. "I expect that I don't have to tell you that this is no way to show your support for one another. Dayn's training is of no concern to anyone but myself, Dayn, and whoever is chosen to train him. Now perhaps instead of harping on one another, you might try and help rather than hinder. Dayn?"

Dayn looked up miserably as Arthur called his name, and he glanced at Arthur before lowering his eyes. He still couldn't look Arthur in the eyes, still afraid of the half-Roman commander despite Arthur's attempts to alleviate his fears.

"Dayn, would you like to start training?" Dayn looked at Arthur squarely for the first time, nodding his head eagerly, a look of awe on his face.

"Very well then. We'll start you on a practice sword after breakfast, and figure the rest out later."

"Arthur, you can't be serious," Lancelot exploded incredulously. "He can't even hold a practice sword—it'll be too heavy for him!"

"Lancelot, I will take care of that, and as for you, you might concern yourself with your own training. Your archery, perhaps?" Lancelot's face heated at Arthur's words, and having no response, he dug into the food on his plate, for once not arguing.

For the first time in weeks, Dayn felt the stirrings of hunger again, and he slowly began to eat, his thoughts on the sword that he would soon have. _I'm going to be a great warrior, and then those Romans won't dare come near me anymore_, he told himself.

* * *

"Caderyn, are you going to tell us what's the matter?" Gawain's question broke into Caderyn's thoughts, and he looked up in annoyance to see Gawain standing before him, Galahad behind him. 

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about whatever it is that's kept you moping around here for weeks. Something's obviously on your mind, so why don't you tell us?" Gawain asked with a look of friendly concern on his kind face. Caderyn looked at him for a moment, then turned to eye Galahad. _I've gotta get Galahad to leave before I tell Gawain. Galahad will blab to anyone if I tell him._

"Say, Galahad, why don't you go fetch Dayn, see if he'll go swimming with you?"

"I don't want to. He's too quiet. And he never wants to do anything."

"Just go ask him anyway," Caderyn commanded, knowing the younger boy would obey. Grudgingly, Galahad wandered outside, leaving Gawain and Caderyn alone in the corridor.

"So what is it?" Gawain asked when Galahad was gone.

"It's Dayn. You don't know what the Romans did to him, Gawain," he said quietly. "I want to get them back."

"What did they do?"

"I'd rather not say. It's not my place, you know. He'll tell when he's ready. But in the meantime, I want to make them pay. Are you in?"

"Yeah, I'm in," Gawain said, nodding. And Caderyn knew that Gawain would stick with him, would never give him up.

"Alright, I know exactly which of the Romans hurt Dayn, so all we have to do is find where they're staying. We'll need to hurry though, because according to rumor, they'll be reassigned to another outpost soon. So we need to take action before then," Caderyn told him.

"Action against who?" a familiar voice asked. Caderyn winced and glanced down before turning to see Arthur staring down at him.

"No one, Arthur. We were just horsing around, weren't we, Gawain?" Gawain nodded eagerly, but Caderyn could see that Arthur wasn't buying it.

"Boys, I don't think I need to remind you of the trouble you were in the last time you 'took action' against Roman soldiers."

"But Arthur, this is different!" Caderyn exploded. "This is about Dayn!"

"What about him?"

"What they did to him wasn't right, Arthur! And they weren't even punished for it! It's not fair, and me and Gawain were just going to set things right, that's all!"

"Listen to me," Arthur said sternly. "I know you're only trying to do right by Dayn, but this won't help him. He needs to move past all of that, and your revenge will only make the situation worse. You will leave this alone, do you understand?"

"Arthur"

"No, Caderyn. We will not speak of this again. I want your word that this will go no further."

Caderyn glared stubbornly at Arthur before finally mumbling a promise, Gawain following suit. As Arthur walked away, Caderyn watched with an angry glare until Arthur was out of sight.

"What are you going to do?" Gawain asked.

"Nothing," he replied, disgusted. "I've given my word, and there's no way around it, now." He turned and headed for the armory, Gawain at his heels. "Come on, Dayn's going to practice his sword fighting for the first time today—I don't want to miss it."

"Yeah, Dayn was pretty excited when Arthur gave him that sword, wasn't he?" Gawain said with a smile. "He treats it like a prized possession. It's hardly more than a stick, but he carries it with him everywhere. I caught him sneaking it into his bed last night." The two boys laughed, but Caderyn felt a twinge of pity because he knew that the sword wasn't simply Dayn's most prized possession, it was his only possession. "Dayn's been itching to fight someone ever since Arthur gave him that sword," Gawain was saying, and Caderyn nodded.

"He's been begging me all week to practice with him, but Arthur was afraid I would accidentally hurt him," he told Gawain. "Arthur said it would have to be one of the younger boys, andBors said it'll either be Jarek or Galahad. My bet's on Jarek, though, because he could use the practice. His sword skills are nothing to speak of, and since Dayn hasn't had formal training, they should be as close to a match as we could get. Of course, Jarek's got the advantage, but Dayn's got heart…it'll be an interesting fight, I'm certain. But what do you say we make a little wager?" he asked with a smile.

"No deal, Caderyn. The last time I wagered with you, I lost my favorite cloak."

"But you got a lovely new one afterward, so no harm done," Caderyn said with a convincing grin.

"No harm done? Caderyn, it cost me almost a month's wages to buy a new cloak?"

"But don't you like it a lot better than the old one?"

"I would have rather kept the old one and saved my money," Gawain told him wryly. "Now come on, we'd better hurry," he told Caderyn, and together the two boys set off in a run for the armory, eager to see the outcome of Dayn's first swordfight.

* * *

Dayn stared fiercely at Jarek, his practice sword clenched tightly in his hands. Arthur had had it made especially for Dayn, the lightweight wood more easily wielded than the heavier practice swords that the older boys used. The others were gathered around the fence, watching to see how Dayn's first practice session with the sword would go. 

"Aren't you tired yet, boy?" Jarek asked with a sneer. "Just forfeit already. You're just a boy—we all know you can't fight!" The taunt was like a slap in the face to Dayn, and he found himself growing angry. Even Lancelot, who didn't seem to like him much, was not so cruel as to tease him that way. Though Lancelot had made it plain that he thought Dayn too young, he had never implied that he thought less of Dayn.

The older boy lunged at him suddenly, bringing his wooden sword around in a brutal cut that hit with enough force to knock Dayn back. Dayn didn't know what happened afterward, because a deep rage welled up inside him and with a bellow, he surged to his feet and ran at Jarek, coming at him with a vicious slash.

The blow caught Jarek across the chest, and the twelve-year-old fell heavily. But Dayn didn't relent, even as the older boy came to his feet. Dayn raised his sword overhead, preparing to swing once more, but Jarek managed to bring his sword up just in time to parry. Dayn pursued him with a viciousness that was uncanny in a child, unwilling to concede the fight as he continued to slash and stab at Jarek. Dayn was so lost in his anger that he had lost all awareness of wielding the sword as he continued to fight, never noticing the blows that Jarek was landing on his small frame.

Finally, Jarek knocked the sword from Dayn's hand and stepped back with a triumphant smile, thinking the fight over. But Dayn plowed into him, slamming him into the ground. Jarek threw him off, and Dayn used the opportunity to once again grab his sword. He swung as hard as he could, clipping Jarek with the blunt side of the blade before the older boy could bring his sword up to block. Jarek fell backwards with a sharp cry, as the blow opened up a gash on his temple. As blood began to pour from the wound, Dayn swung again, landing a blow on Jarek's ribs. He prepared to swing again, but someone grabbed him from behind, pinning his arms to his sides and lifting him off the ground.

"Dayn, stop!" It was all too reminiscent of when the Romans had taken him away, and fear lent him strength as he fought the iron grip that held him, yelling as he kicked and squirmed. But the hold on him was strong, and at last exhaustion overcame him. He slumped, the wooden sword dropping from his limp hand as he sagged in the arms of whoever held him.

Arthur's hold on Dayn loosened as he sensed the boy calming, but he didn't release him. Setting Dayn on his feet once more, he crouched down before him, gripping his shoulders. He watched with sympathetic eyes as Dayn looked down at the fallen sword, his face a mask of disappointment.

"I guess I didn't do it right," he said in a whisper, his eyes downcast.

"You did well, Dayn," Arthur told him kindly. "But you need to learn when to rein in your emotions. You let your anger take control of you, and that can be dangerous. We'll work on it next time," he told Dayn with a pat on the shoulder. "Perhaps you should apologize to Jarek though, for hitting him when he thought the fight was finished."

"Why should I? I'm not sorry," he told Arthur matter-of-factly.

"Dayn," Arthur said sternly. With a deep sigh of annoyance, Dayn turned to look at Jarek, who sat on the ground behind them as Tristan held a cloth to the bleeding gash on his head.

"Alright, Arthur," he grumbled. Arthur leaned down and picked up the fallen sword, holding it out to Dayn. Dayn stared at the proffered sword and looked up at Arthur, studying his face as though looking for something hidden there, before he slowly reached out and took the sword from Arthur's outstretched hand.

Dagonet came up beside Arthur, the two men watching the boy mutter an insincere apology before he walked away, his wooden sword held reverently in his hands.

"He's a natural, Arthur. But he's wild, he lacks control. I think Jarek will have a scar from this. But I think he'll think twice about teasing the boy from now on."

"Yes, you're probably right," he replied. "Lancelot," he called, turning to the younger knight. Lancelot looked up from where he was watching Tristan and Roland care for Jarek. "I'd like for you and Caderyn to work with Dayn on his sword skills. He has the talent, but he needs to learn technique. Raw power will do him no good if he hasn't the skills to use with it."

"Whatever you say, Arthur. I just hope you know what you're doing," the curly-haired knight said, shaking his head as he walked past Arthur. _So do I, Lancelot. So do I._

* * *

A/N: Please review for me! I love reviews! 

**MissBubbles**: Yay, a new reviewer! I'm glad you like Caderyn—he's my favorite of the originals that I created. Besides Dayn, of course. I have to admit, I have a lot of fun with Lancelot…I get a lot of great scenes out of him. I thought the grapes was pretty funny, too. I'm not going to be using a lot of the original knights much; they're mostly there to fill out the Round Table a bit, but they might still play roles in future chapters.

**chiefhow**: Yeah, Caderyn's a nice guy, isn't he? I love him, too! Caderyn fan-club anyone? LOL. Thanks for reviewing for me!

**ModestySparrow9**: Hey, M, thanks for reviewing! I try to throw in Tristan scenes when I can…hope you liked his scene in this chapter. I'm not sure about Orainne yet. I'll let you know. I'm still not fully sure where I'm going with this story yet…I'm just letting it happen as it will, you know? No set plot for the most part. Dayn doesn't meet Orainne until he's quite a bit older, so I'll just have to wait and see if I can fit her in later.

**Skystrike26: **One more in my list of new reviewers! Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you like Dayn as much as I do. To answer your question, Caderyn realizes that Dayn has lost his brother, so by asking Dayn if he'd like him to be his new brother, he's doing what he can to help lessen the sense of loss that Dayn feels over his brother Orren. Hope that answers your question…there's a flashback scene in "The Peril of Secrets" that tells what actually happened when the Romans came, so if you haven't read that story, it might help you to understand Dayn a bit more. I think the flashback happens in Chp. 8 of that story.

**daggend: **Hey, another new reviewer! Reviews are always welcome, so I hope you'll continue to send me feedback. Hope you liked this chapter as well as the last one. I'm having fun with the younger knights, because I think it's fun to look at how they came to be the way they were in the movie, or in my later stories. As I told ModestySparrow9 (above), Dayn doesn't get involved with the Woads until he's older, so I'll have to work up to that. I don't know if I'll carry the story that far, but we'll see. Anyways, thanks for the compliments!

**Camreyn**: Thanks so much for reviewing, Cam! I appreciate it—As I told chiefhow, I'm thinking we should all start a Caderyn fan-club—heehee. And yep, Lancelot is already showing his personality…of course, he's seventeen at this point, so the timing would be about right. Of course, I'm convinced that he was probably a flirt from a very young age. Arthur knows some of what happened to Dayn…enough to know that Dayn's brother was killed, but he doesn't know how it happened exactly. I think you'll agree that this chapter shows the first stirrings of Dayn's temper, which will, as you already know, culminate in him becoming the "poster boy for anger management". LOL. Anyways, keep reviewing for me, ok!


	3. Chapter 3: Beer, Brawls, and Brotherhood

Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah. I think it's pretty obvious what's mine and what's not.

A/N: Sorry for keeping everyone waiting…exams, you know. Anyways, hope you enjoy! Please read and review!

Chapter 3: Beer, Brawls, and Brotherhood

Dayn loved shadows. He loved everything about them, the way they seemed to defy the light, the way that it blended into the darkness until you could no longer tell one from the other, but most of all, he loved how they concealed things from sight, hiding things from the light. Sometimes Dayn wished he was a shadow.

He was in his usual place, in the rafters of the stable, watching the people below him care for the horses. They didn't notice him there, not in the shadows where he crouched, for at nine years old, Dayn was still small enough to go unnoticed. He lifted his head when he saw two familiar figures walk in. Bors and Lancelot. Dayn shifted on the rafter on which he was perched as the two knights looked up. Bors smiled as he caught sight of Dayn's form atop a beam in the corner, and he nudged Lancelot, nodding his head in Dayn's direction.

"Dayn, we've been waiting for you in the main hall—what're you still doing in here?" Bors hollered up amiably.

"I didn't want to come to the main hall," Dayn replied in a surly tone.

"Well, it's not good to keep Arthur waitin', you know. Besides, we're hungry, and you know he doesn't let us start until we're all there. C'mon, boy—come down from there. I'm hungry!"

"I don't want to come down. Just tell Arthur I'm not hungry."

"Bors, stop coddling him. Dayn, get your scrawny ass down here," Lancelot said impatiently, not in the mood to tarry any longer.

"Boy, your appetite's as big as mine," Bors said, ignoring Lancelot. "There's no way you're not hungry. So what's wrong?"

"I'm not saying with _him _here," he said, crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest.

Bors looked at Lancelot, who looked ready to explode, and gave his shoulder a shove towards the door.

"Take a hike, Lancelot." Giving Dayn a dark look, Lancelot stormed out of the stables, and Bors looked up once more. "Alright, Dayn, he's gone. Now what's troubling you?"

"I don't want to eat with the others any more," Dayn said angrily.

"Why not?"

"They don't like me. And I don't like them either!" he said defensively.

"Who doesn't like you?" Bors said, his face darkening as anger began to well inside him. _No doubt its one of the younger boys. They're always harping on each other—like a bunch of damn—_

"Jarek. And Roderick and Strephon, and Uwain." Dayn didn't mention Lancelot. The curly-haired knight had never openly said he disliked Dayn, but Dayn's hostility towards him was enough to keep the two of them from being friendly. Dayn still harbored a grudge against the older knight for trying to stop him from starting his training. That was a year ago, and he still nursed the grudge. Both Dayn and Lancelot were passionate people, and Bors thought it was probably a good idea that they steered clear of one another for the most part.

"Jarek's still mad about that mark you left on him—you shouldn't let him bother you, Dayn."

"He makes me angry, Bors," Dayn murmured with a dark look.

"Aw, come on, boy—look, Jarek's just jealous. You got nothing to be angry about. Now, why don't you come on down now, so we can eat." Dayn gazed at the older knight for a long moment before heaving a long-suffering sigh and climbing down the rafters with a catlike agility. Bors grinned and put his arm around the small boy as they walked back to the main hall.

"Well look who finally decided to show up," Jarek said nastily as Dayn took his seat next to Caderyn.

"Shut up, Jarek," Bors said plainly, never one to mince words.

"Do you have to get the others to fight for you now, Dayn?"

"No!" Dayn said vehemently, his face darkening with fury.

"That's enough, both of you." At Arthur's stern tone, Jarek subsided, and Dayn glared angrily down at his plate. His hands fisted in his lap as he struggled to contain the fury that was welling up inside him.

Everyone dug into their food eagerly, all but Dayn, who stared blankly ahead. Tristan eyed the boy suspiciously, sensing somehow that he was close to snapping. The others seemed oblivious, and Tristan wondered vaguely if they would soon regret not paying attention to Dayn. _Arthur should have taken care of this last year, instead of letting the problem fester. _It would be a miracle if the two boys were ever able to be near one another without one going for the other's throat. _But it's not my place to tell Arthur his business._ So as usual, Tristan kept silent and merely watched and waited.

"Braden, is it your turn to watch Dayn tonight?" Arthur asked, capturing Dayn's attention. Dayn turned to see what Braden would say, hoping fervently that it would be someone else's turn. _I wish it was Cade—he's more fun. Braden doesn't do anything but whittle. Boring. Even Tristan would be alright—he at least shows me how to do stuff._ Though Tristan had been quite correct about Dayn's lack of patience for scouting, Dayn found that he enjoyed learning how to skulk around without being seen. It was going to come in handy one day for sure, Dayn thought.

"No, it's Bors' turn."

Bors sighed, obviously not overly pleased, but he said nothing, and Dayn looked down, angry all over again. _Why does someone always have to watch me? They don't want to, and then they get mad at me because Arthur makes them. _

"Arthur, I don't want everyone watching me anymore," Dayn said abruptly, looking at Arthur with a stubborn look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Dayn, but you're too young to go wandering around by yourself. It's not safe, and I won't have you getting hurt."

"But--"

"I'm not going to argue this with you, Dayn," Arthur said, his tone leaving no room for argument. Dayn stared crossly down at the table, trying not to glare at Arthur.

Jarek snickered, thoroughly enjoying Dayn's annoyance, and for Dayn, it was the last straw. Picking up his cup, he hurled it with all his might at the older boy across the table. It hit Jarek in the chest, spattering Dayn's drink all over his tunic. With an angry cry, he stood, and Dayn didn't wait for him to act before he jumped up and crawled over the top of the table to land on the inner side. He ran forward and jumped back up on the table in front of Jarek who took a step back instinctively. Dayn's face was dark with fury as he threw himself at Jarek, knocking him to the ground. He quickly straddled the older boy and with a balled fist hit him squarely in the eye. Jarek instantly retaliated, throwing the smaller boy off of him and preparing to hit him back. Chairs slid back as the knights all stood, either to get out of the way or to try and stop the two boys from fighting. Arthur and Cei were the closest, and Arthur went for Jarek, leaving Cei to take care of pulling Dayn back.

Arthur quickly got a hold on Jarek, but Dayn was proving to be a handful for Cei. At fourteen, Cei was easily larger than Dayn, but he was struggling to hold on to the small boy who was fighting his hold with all of the strength that fury afforded him.

"Someone help Cei! Get Dayn outside!" Arthur said, unable to let go of Jarek. Gawain rushed to Cei's side and took a firmer hold on Dayn, carrying the still struggling little boy outside. Throwing Dayn over his shoulder, he ignored Dayn's yells of outrage and carried him to a small paddock. Setting him down in front of a bag of oats, he released Dayn and stepped back, amazed at how strong his temper was for such a small boy. Dayn immediately began to kick and punch at the bag of oats, venting his fury on the oats as surely as he wanted to on Jarek. Finally, his temper spent, he slid to the ground and stared morosely at the sack of oats that he'd beaten to a pulp.

"Are you alright, now?"

Dayn shrugged, not looking up, and Gawain sat down on the ground beside him. "I don't suppose I have to tell you that you have quite a temper," Gawain said with a smile.

"Yeah," Dayn mumbled angrily.

"You know Arthur is going to make you apologize."

"He can't make me," Dayn said defiantly. "I'm not sorry, and I'm not going to act like I am." Gawain grinned at Dayn's tone, before he sobered, scooting closer to the little boy and tipping his chin up so that Dayn was looking up at him.

"Dayn, it's not Jarek you're mad about. What's really bothering you?" He was quiet, watching the play of emotions on Dayn's face as he struggled to answer Gawain's question.

"I want to go home," Dayn whispered. "I don't wanna stay here anymore," Dayn said, his voice breaking as he looked down. Gawain felt his heart clench painfully at the heartbreak in Dayn's voice. Dayn buried his face in his arms, his knees drawn up to his chest. Gawain put his arm around Dayn's shoulders and let him cry, knowing that sometimes, that was all you could do.

"I know it's hard, Dayn, but you'll learn to like it here."

"Everyone gets mad, cause they don't wanna watch me when Arthur says to."

"Yes, well, that doesn't mean they don't like you, Dayn. It's just, we're all a lot older than you, and sometimes it's difficult having a youngster around. Just think though, one day soon, you'll be able to hang around with all of us, and no one will think twice about your age. You've got some growing to do, that's all."

Dayn wiped his nose on his sleeve and looked up at Gawain hopefully.

"You mean it?"

"Yes. Now come on, let's go back in and finish eating. Then I'll show you a little trick I learned with my axe."

"Really?" Dayn's face lit up with excitement, and Gawain laughed to see him so happy. Dayn was always eager for anything involving weapons, and as Gawain thought on it, he wondered if someone should worry about that. Was it wise for a nine-year-old to be that bloodthirsty? _Oh well, it's Arthur's problem,_ Gawain thought with a shrug. He stood, playfully hauling Dayn to his feet at the same time. Dayn practically skipped back to the table, so excited at the prospect of seeing Gawain's axe in action that he was able to ignore Jarek. Besides he had plans for Jarek…

* * *

Dayn looked up as Bors came towards him, looking a little disgruntled at having his plans interrupted, but resigned to his fate of watching Dayn for the night. Dayn had spent most of the day watching Gawain fight with his axe against some of the others, and he smiled as he recalled the sight. _One day, I'll be big enough to fight with an axe. But I want a sword first._ Dayn liked swords best, though he hadn't told Gawain that. _I don't want to hurt his feelings. He really likes his axe._

"Come on, Dayn," Bors said, waiting impatiently.

"Where are we going?" Dayn asked as he climbed to his feet from where he'd been drawing in the dirt with a stick.

"I'm supposed to watch you, but see, I had plans tonight that I don't wanna break, so you're gonna come with me."

"Oh, alright," Dayn said, excited by the prospect of going with the older knight instead of sticking around the barracks. He followed Bors, and soon enough, Bors reached the door of a tavern that he frequented. Before he opened the door, he looked down at Dayn, narrowing his eyes.

"Now you listen to me, Dayn. You stick close to me and don't wander off. Alright? Arthur would have my head if you got hurt. Just keep quiet and don't cause trouble." Dayn nodded, but Bors was beginning to rethink the wisdom of his plans. Before he could turn around though, Dayn opened the door and slipped inside, and Bors had no choice but to follow him inside.

Once he saw Vanora winding her way through the tables, he forgot all about his objections as she gave him a smile. Spotting Braden, Tristan, and Lancelot at a table nearby, he grabbed Dayn and steered him to the table. Tristan quirked an eyebrow when Dayn sat down, and looked at Bors. As usual, he said nothing, but then again, he didn't have to, because Lancelot did it for him.

"Bors, what's the matter with you—bringing a boy into a place like this? He shouldn't be here. He's too young."

"Ah, it'll be alright. Dayn's gonna behave, isn't that right, Dayn?"

"Uh-huh." Dayn gave Lancelot an innocent smile, propping his arms up on the table as he stared at the other knight. Lancelot looked at him suspiciously before turning to watch a woman walk by, a sly smile coming over his face.

Vanora walked over, looking curiously at the small boy who kept company with knights, and Bors introduced her, giving Lancelot a warning look as he put his arm around Vanora's waist as she stood beside him. Dayn, on his best behavior, gave her a nice smile, telling her hello before turning to watch the people around him. He'd never been in a tavern before, and he found that he quite liked watching the people coming and going around him. Vanora left, coming back a few moments later with two more glasses in her hands. One she set down in front of Bors with a smile. The other, she placed in front of Dayn.

"Here, Dayn. I brought you something, too," she said, setting a cup of milk down in front of him.

"Thank you, Vanora," Dayn said politely. He picked up the cup and took a sip before turning his attention back to two Romans who were fighting near the doorway. He watched with interest as a few more joined in and the cursing grew louder and more vicious. Tristan eyed him for a moment, wondering if he should be concerned by the intent look on Dayn's face as he watched the fighting. But he discarded the thought as quickly as it came. _After all, it's normal for boys to be interested in that sort of thing, isn't it?_

As quiet as he was, it wasn't long before Bors forgot all about the little boy, and with Vanora on his lap, the knight didn't give the boy a second thought.

After several hours, the fighting died down as everyone soon became too drunk to fight. Dayn grew bored and he turned to Bors impatiently. But Bors was well into his drink by now, and Dayn had a feeling that Bors wasn't ready to leave yet. Lancelot looked pretty busy as well, having a pretty girl on his lap and a glass in his hand, Braden had followed a woman out of the tavern some time ago, and Tristan was focused on a knife-throwing contest that had started between several Romans.

Dayn slid his chair back and left the tavern with no one the wiser. Lancelot left shortly thereafter with the tavern wench in tow, and when Bors finally turned back to where Dayn had been sitting, the boy had been gone for quite some time.

"Oh damn," Bors said, his eyes widening with alarm at the sight of the empty seat. He glanced around, starting to panic when he didn't see the boy.

"What is it?" Vanora asked, her bright eyes looking at him worriedly.

"Dayn's gone. I've gotta find him." Lifting her off his lap, he headed for Tristan, ready to beg for the scout's help if he had to. _Arthur will kill me if I've lost that boy._

The two knights searched for quite a while before they finally found Dayn. He was fast asleep in his bed, and Bors could have kicked himself for not thinking to look there sooner. Tristan had given him a look of annoyance before turning to his own bed, and Bors shrugged sheepishly before going to bed himself. _Well, at least nothing happened._

* * *

Bors entered the main hall the next morning and made a beeline for Dayn who had actually come in on time for once. The large knight crouched down beside Dayn, and Dayn turned a curious gaze on him. 

"Listen, Dayn, do me a favor and don't mention last night to Arthur, alright? He'd be pissed if he knew I took you with me last night."

"Alright, Bors," Dayn said amiably.

"I knew I could count on you, Dayn," Bors replied, giving him a smile and a friendly pat on the shoulder before he continued on to his seat. Dayn smiled to himself, feeling a sense of pride well up. It made him feel important, sharing Bors' secret, and he wasn't about to tell anyone. _Bors trusts me, and I won't let him down. I won't tell, no matter what._

Arthur sat down in his customary place and surveyed the table, pleased to see that for once, everyone was there on time, and the noise level was actually tolerable. He nodded, and, as if that was a signal, the Sarmatians instantly began to eat enthusiastically. Arthur prayed silently over his food before he turned to the youngest member of his command.

"So, Dayn, what did you and Bors do last night?" At Arthur's question, Bors froze, a piece of bread halfway to his mouth, as he frantically questioned whether there was any possible way that Arthur could know about the previous night's outing. Braden and Lancelot shared a look of worry themselves, knowing that they would be held just as responsible if it came out that they'd been with Dayn in a tavern and hadn't said anything. As usual, Tristan revealed nothing, preferring to keep his emotions to himself.

"Oh, nothing. It was sort of boring, really." At Dayn's answer, Bors breathed a silent sigh of relief, and finished off the bite of bread he held.

"Well, I'm sure Bors will try harder next time to find something that will be more fun for you," Arthur said with a smile. Dayn nodded his agreement and continued to eat for a few moments before he turned to Lancelot.

"Lancelot?"

"What?" the curly haired knight asked, turning a suspicious gaze on the small boy, wondering why Dayn was suddenly speaking to him.

"What were you doing to that girl last night? You know, the one you left with?"

Lancelot's eyes darkened with anger, and he turned a blistering gaze on Dayn.

"Dayn, if you were in the rafters last night watching me, I'm going to kill you," Lancelot said angrily.

"Dayn, were you in the stables last night?" Arthur asked, his eyes narrowing on Bors and Lancelot. Dayn immediately realized his mistake and tried to back out of it, even as Bors buried his face in his hands with a groan.

"Did I say last night? I meant earlier yesterday," he said apologetically. _Not bad, really,_ Tristan thought absently, nodding as Dayn put just the right amount of sincerity in his voice to be believable. _If Arthur hadn't already picked up on the lie, Dayn might have pulled it off._

"Alright, Bors, what _really _happened last night?" Bors opened his mouth, but Arthur held up a hand to stop him. "On second thought, never mind. We'll discuss it after we eat."

His appetite gone, Dayn toyed with his food, growing more and more miserable even as the other knights laughed and gave Lancelot a hard time for not noticing Dayn up in the rafters. His chair scraped against the floor as he suddenly stood, and he walked out dejectedly, ignoring the voices that called out his name. He quickly headed to his favorite place in the rafters and climbed up, feeling perfectly wretched.

* * *

"You took him to a tavern?" Arthur yelled. "Bors, have you completely lost your senses? I wanted you to keep him out of danger, not put him in it!" 

"Ah, Arthur, it wasn't so bad as that. He was perfectly safe—I wouldn't have let anything happen to him."

"You took a nine-year-old into a tavern, Bors," Arthur said incredulously. "And no doubt you were drinking. How were you supposed to protect him if you were passed out drunk, or so sloshed you couldn't stand?"

"Arthur," Braden cut in, "Bors' drinking aside, I don't think it was such a bad idea taking the little one with us. He's isolated from most of the younger boys, so that leaves us. If he's left out, he's going to be even more secluded."

"So you think it's acceptable to take a child to a tavern?"

"Come, Arthur, think on it for a moment—we have to do something to make Dayn feel like part of the group. Look, say we take him with us—as long as one of us stays sober and keeps an eye on him, what harm can it be?"

"Well there's the issue of the tavern girls you're all so fond of. Dayn could learn far more than a boy needs to, that is, if Lancelot hasn't already exposed him to that," Arthur said, giving Lancelot a pointed look.

"Oh, Arthur, really," Lancelot said, rolling his eyes, "He's going to find out sooner or later. And who knows," he added, "maybe some of my charms will rub off on him," he said with his trademark smirk.

"Lancelot, you're not helping," Braden said before turning back to Arthur, planning to continue his argument. But Bors beat him to it, and pitched in an argument of his own.

"At least if he's with us, he won't be off finding out things on his own," Bors threw in. Arthur was silent, considering their words, before heaving a sigh.

"Very well. But if Dayn is injured in any way, I'll make sure that none of you see the inside of a tavern until he turns fifteen."

As they left, Lancelot suddenly stopped and turned abruptly to face the others.

"Hold on! Did we just argue to take a nine-year-old to the taverns with us just to stay out of trouble?" The others looked at one another before letting out a collective groan. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Lancelot said with a disgusted sigh.

* * *

Braden swallowed as he eyed the rafters above him. He could see Dayn perched in the corner, looking perfectly secure, but to Braden, it seemed awfully far away. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he hoisted himself up on a low wall. He'd never been fond of heights, and he really wished that Dayn would come down so he didn't have to go up. Or better yet, that someone else was in his place, so he didn't have to deal with it at all. But someone had to speak to Dayn, and no one else seemed interested, so Braden was it. He climbed without looking down, knowing instinctively that doing so would be a bad idea. No doubt he'd be overcome by dizziness and would fall and break his neck…_No, best not to look down._ _You couldn't have picked someplace closer to the ground to hide out. No, you had to pick someplace where I'd have to climb to reach you._ Grumbling kept his mind off of his fear, so he continued his mental tirade against Dayn's choice of hiding spots until he finally reached a spot beside Dayn. He gripped the wood of the rafter in a death grip, terrified and trying not to show it. 

"Hello, Dayn," he said, trying to smile. Dayn gave him a funny look, as though he didn't know what to say.

"Are you alright, Braden?"

"Yeah, of course, why do you ask?" Braden said with a weak laugh, wiping at the sweat that was dripping down his face. A second later, he realized he was only holding on to the rafter with one hand, and he instantly resumed his death grip on the beam.

"Cause you look sort of green."

"Nah, I'm good. I'm alright. I'm not going to fall, I'm going to be just fine," he said, mumbling more to himself than to Dayn. The boy hid a smile at the older knight's obvious discomfort, but he didn't say anything, thinking it wouldn't be wise to point out Braden's fear. He stood up and started walking along the rafter, not noticing the look of abject terror that crossed Braden's face. "Dayn, sit down before you fall!" Shrugging, Dayn came and sat back down beside Braden, waiting for him to continue.

"Listen, Dayn, I just wanted to ask if you were alright. You seemed upset when you left," Braden said, trying to keep his eyes on Dayn, but failing miserably. The ground beckoned to him, and he was trembling with the effort to stay put.

"Is Bors angry at me?" Dayn asked softly. "I didn't mean to tell Arthur, Braden, I swear it!"

"He's not mad at you, Dayn."

"Are you sure? I let him down. I only wanted to know what Lancelot was doing to that girl," he said unhappily, feeling crushed at the thought of betraying Bors' trust.

"Yeah, we know. Look, about that…you weren't supposed to see that."

"Why not? Is it bad?"

"No, not bad, really," Braden said with a chuckle. "You're just not old enough to see it yet. You'll understand one day."

"I'm tired of not being old enough. I want to know now."

"There'll be plenty of time for that when you're older, Dayn. And if you want, I'll personally tell you what Lance was doing when the day comes."

"When will the day come?"

"It'll come when you're ready." Dayn sighed, knowing that that was the best answer he was going to get. _I'll just ask Cade later—he'll tell me, I'm sure of it. _"Um, Dayn, what do you say we get down from here before I lose my breakfast?"

"Alright, Braden," Dayn said with a smile, leading the way down. When he reached the ground, he talked Braden down, pointing him to different hand and foot holds until Braden had both feet firmly on the ground once more. Braden grabbed Dayn in a hug, unabashedly grateful to the nine-year-old for getting him down safely.

"You're alright, Dayn, you know that?" He smiled down at Dayn, and ruffled Dayn's hair before heading for the door. "Come on, I'll spar with you for a bit." Dayn grinned and hurried after him, eager to practice with his sword. It wasn't often when one of the older knights took time out of the day to spend time with him, and Dayn wasn't about to waste the opportunity. Braden was really better with daggers than a sword, but Dayn wouldn't complain at the chance to train with him. _Maybe I can get him to show me how to throw a dagger,_ Dayn thought hopefully. With a mischievous grin, he hurried to catch up with Braden's longer stride. Perhaps with a little cajoling, he could convince the older knight to show him, even if Arthur hadn't technically approved. After all, it was an important skill that every knight should know.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews—keep 'em coming! 

**chiefhow: **Yeah, you know Dayn is going to get his revenge one day. I initially started this fic to tell how Dayn killed his first Roman, but it's taking me longer. It's not a simple one-shot story anymore…oh well, I'll get to it eventually. A few more years in Dayn's life, but I think I'm only a couple of chapters away from it. Theoretically…

**ModestySparrow9:** I'm glad you stick with me through all of my fanfics. I always love hearing from you. I'm hoping this fic will explain some of the borderline-hostility between Dayn and Lance that you saw in the original story. It started early. Lance doesn't really mean anything by it, but Dayn takes things very personally. But I have so much fun with these two, so I expect there to be many scenes like the one in the last chapter and in this one.

**daggend: **I'm glad you're enjoying, and I'm even more glad that you reviewed again for me! I always love hearing from people who read my fics, and it's also quite motivating.

**Camreyn: **As always, thanks so much! I'm glad you liked Tristan's moment with Dayn. I'm sort of trying to give Dayn a "moment" with each of the knights. At least some of the major ones. I'm pushing the relationship issue between him and the others, because that's really what the point of the whole story is. Of course, I probably won't have a moment with all of the knights, simply because there are quite a few that I created just to sort of fill up the Round Table a bit. They don't really serve a purpose other than that, but who knows what the future holds, eh? By the way, how does the new title sound? I thought it was funny, and hopefully, it fits a bit better. As for Orainne and the Woads, if you think back on "Peril," Dayn was about sixteen when he met up with the Woads, so he's still a ways away from that. He'll get progressively older with each chapter. There are a few more chapters to go before we get to that. Oh, and welcome to the Caderyn fan club! LOL. You're my first member. Anyways, thanks for reading over this for me. There's a possibility that I missed some of the spelling corrections you made in the copy I sent you, because I added to the original and couldn't simply use the copy you sent back to me. I'm not sure if that makes sense, or not, but oh well. Anyways, thanks a bunch for helping me out. Lots of love!

**Shallindra:** Hey, thanks for reviewing. Glad you liked the chapter…As far as Tristan and Niamh go, I'm not sure if I can pull a story out. There's nothing I can do as far as a prequel, but they pop up in the sequel, so check that one out for more Tristan and Niamh action. The truth is, they were never meant to carry a plot. I only added Niamh in as a subplot for Tristan fans…but I'll try to keep adding them in for you.

**MonDieu666:** Hey! It was great to hear from you—I'm glad you're enjoying my fic! I hope you didn't get caught using the computer to read fics when you were supposed to be doing your HW. That would suck. Luckily, I don't really have that problem—there's something to say for being in college. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter, too! Try to review if you can!


	4. Chapter 4: The Mayhem That Ensues

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

A/N: I'm beginning to think that I should just start copying and pasting this message in, because it's becoming a habit…Once again, I apologize for the long wait in between chapters. I figure that because it takes a while to have someone read over this beforehand, I'll just risk it and post it without a beta's help. So if there are mistakes, I apologize beforehand.

Chapter 4—The Mayhem That Ensues

Dayn threw his practice sword down in angry frustration, the sweat stinging his eyes as he glared at Lancelot.

"Dayn, that's not going to help," Lancelot said impatiently. "Now pick it back up and try again."

"No! You don't teach it right," he said angrily. "Caderyn's better than you," he continued, kicking the sword angrily and folding his arms across his chest in stubborn belligerence.

"Dayn, I'm not going to argue it with you. Arthur told me to teach you swordplay, and that's what I'm doing. No one else has had a problem with it, and you're behaving like a child." Dayn gave him a look that clearly said _"Because I am a child."_ Lancelot felt his own annoyance welling up, and from the side, Dagonet could see that Lancelot was about to have something of a tantrum of his own.

"Alright, you two, I think it's time for a break. Dayn, come on. You can come with me while I collect some herbs from one of the local healers." Giving Lancelot one last dirty look, Dayn picked his sword up and ran to Dagonet, grateful for the reprieve from training with Lancelot.

He blindly swung his practice sword as he followed Dagonet, pretending to slay all manner of enemies, but mostly imagining that he was exacting his revenge on a certain group of Romans.

"You swing at enemies in that manner, and you're going to get yourself ripped open."

"What?" Dayn looked up to see that Dagonet had turned to watch Dayn over his shoulder.

"You're leaving yourself wide open—it only takes one good swing when your guard is down to spill your insides." Dayn's face fell at Dagonet's words, and Dagonet stopped and crouched down in front of him.

"Keep your sword in front of you, like this," he said, guiding Dayn's sword up to a position in front of him. "From this position, you can quickly counter your opponent's move, either with a parry, or with a swing of your own. Do you understand?"

Dayn nodded, giving Dagonet a small smile before Dagonet stood, ruffling Dayn's hair kindly before he once again began to walk. Dayn trailed behind him, practicing what Dagonet had shown him as he followed the large knight. When Dagonet looked back a few moments later, Dayn was getting further and further behind as he practiced intently rather than paying attention to where he was going.

"Dayn, don't fall behind, now," Dagonet said, pausing so that Dayn could catch up with him. "Come along—you can practice that with Lancelot later." He kept forgetting that Dayn was so much smaller—he couldn't possibly keep up with Dagonet's long stride, especially when the boy was dawdling the way he was. He waited for Dayn to catch up before herding him into the healer's shop, leaving Dayn to his own devices while he spoke with the healer.

Dayn wandered around the healer's shop, gazing curiously around at the various plants and herbs hanging in baskets or placed in jars all around the cozy little shop.

"Dag, what does this one do?" he asked, holding up a leaf from one of the jars.

"That one helps with pain."

"What about this one?" Dayn asked a moment later, holding up a handful of roots for Dagonet to see.

"That induces vomiting," Dagonet told him, turning his attention away from Dayn to speak with the healer.

"So it makes you throw up?"

"Yes, that's right," Dagonet answered absently, not noticing the mischievous gleam that came into Dayn's eyes. If he had, he probably would have been a bit worried, but since he didn't, he paid the small boy no attention.

Seeing that Dagonet's attention was elsewhere, Dayn smiled and stuffed the handful of roots into the pouch at the belt of his tunic. He quickly moved away and picked up another herb, asking Dagonet about several before he went to sit by the door, waiting patiently for Dagonet to conclude his business. That alone should have clued Dagonet in, for Dayn was not known for his patience, but Dagonet didn't notice, and thus trouble was bound to ensue.

* * *

That evening, most of the older knights were at the tavern enjoying themselves, having just returned from a mission. Lancelot was swinging a pretty wench around to a merry tune that a traveling musician was playing, while Ingram and Braden tried to out-drink one another. Aldric and Dagonet were conversing at the end of the table about something Dayn found so boring that he had moved further down the table to get away from them. Bors was distracted by Vanora, who sat in his lap, her belly already beginning to swell with the first signs of pregnancy, and Bors was boasting to anyone who would listen about his virility. Dayn didn't know what he was talking about, but he honestly didn't care. He watched the knights with a discerning eye, thinking that it wouldn't be long now. _I have to be more patient, like Tristan. If I do it too soon, they'll think I'm up to something. _Never mind that he _was_ up to something. He couldn't afford for the other knights to suspect what he was up to, or his careful plans would all be ruined. 

Tristan sat at the other end of the table, opposite from Dagonet and Aldric, sharpening his daggers while he kept an eye on Dayn. It was his turn to watch Dayn, which meant that his activities were restricted to those that didn't involve imbibing large amounts of alcohol. Tristan wasn't much of a heavy drinker, however, so it really wasn't so hard for him to remain sober enough to watch the little one. _Not much of a problem to watch him. He behaves when we bring him here._ Tristan suspected that Dayn behaved so well only because he thought that they would no longer bring him along if he misbehaved. And that misconception worked well for the knights, so none of them bothered to enlighten the boy that misbehaving wouldn't necessarily mean he was exempt from coming with them.

While he mused, he caught sight of movement in the corner of his eye and he glanced up to see Dayn laying his head down on the table, his eyes starting to drift shut. Tristan caught Dagonet's eye, and nodded toward Dayn. _It won't be long before the boy falls asleep. _One of them would carry Dayn off to bed and still have plenty of time for drinking without the little boy underfoot.

Sure enough, within moments, Dayn was asleep and Dagonet gently picked him up, careful not to jar him as he carried him to bed. He tucked the boy in carefully before heading back to the tavern to resume his conversation with Aldric.

* * *

As soon as the door shut behind Dagonet, Dayn shot out of bed and tiptoed to the door, quietly levering it open to peer outside. Once Dagonet was out of sight, he retrieved a goatskin of wine that he'd pushed under his bed hours before and crept outside. It had taken him hours to sneak it out from under Ingram's gaze, but it had been well worth it, for he now had what he needed for the night's mischief. 

He kept to the shadows, careful not to be seen as he made his way toward the stable that the other boys had chosen for their own. They often congregated at the stable, eager to be out from under the watchful eyes of their commander and the older knights. As he snuck up to the door, he could hear Jarek inside, complaining loudly.

"Gawain, why did you bring Galahad along again? He's too young to be here! He's hardly older than Dayn, and there's no way we'd allow Dayn in here. So Galahad shouldn't be allowed either."

"Come off it, Jarek—Galahad never causes any trouble, and he's quiet. Let him be," Gawain argued.

"Jarek's right," Uwain spoke up. "Go on, get out of here, Galahad!"

"Shut it, Uwain! He's big enough to kick your ass, anyway," Caderyn said angrily. "And since when do you speak for all of us?" An uproar ensued as the boys began to argue among themselves, none of them noticing as Galahad slipped away.

Dayn jumped back as the door suddenly opened, and Galahad came running out with tears in his eyes. In his haste, he collided with Dayn, and both boys fell to the ground in a jumble of limbs. Dayn was the first to get his feet under him, and he cradled the goatskin carefully as he reached out a hand to help Galahad climb to his feet. With a sniffle, Galahad took the proffered hand and stood.

"Don't worry about Jarek, Galahad. He's nothing but a rotten cur!"

"He doesn't like me," Galahad said, looking down at the ground.

"He doesn't like me, either. So what? Besides, he'll get what's coming to him. Don't worry."

"What do you mean?"

"I have plans," Dayn said with a gleeful smile, and Galahad looked at him curiously.

"What sort of plans?"

"Well, there's one that I think you can help me with. Come with me—I'll tell you all about it."

Dayn led the way, and Galahad's misery was forgotten as he followed the younger boy around to the back of the stable. He lifted a loose board, and quietly motioned for Galahad to crawl inside, and he quickly followed, letting the board slip silently back into place. They peered around a low wall to see the other boys sitting further away, arguing loudly over Jarek's treatment of Galahad.

"Follow me," Dayn whispered and Galahad nodded with a smile. Dayn hefted the goatskin of wine he held in his hands, carefully balancing it on his shoulder as he began to climb the rafters. Perhaps if the others hadn't been arguing, one of them might have noticed the two boys climbing the rafters, but unfortunately, they were too caught up in their argument to notice. Reaching the top, Dayn waited for Galahad, giving him a helping hand before he slowly crawled along the wooden beam. When he was positioned above Jarek, he gave Galahad a mischievous smile before he held the goatskin out and released it over Jarek's head.

The wine sack burst upon impact with Jarek's head, a testament to Dayn's aim, and with a scream of outrage, Jarek stood up, the deep purple wine dripping from his hair and spilling down his face and shoulders.

He looked up into the shadowy rafters, furiously searching, but Dayn knew well enough that the shadows concealed him perfectly.

"Dayn, I know it was you! You're going to pay for this!" Galahad looked worriedly at Dayn, wondering if Jarek saw them after all. If Jarek knew Galahad was in on the prank, then he'd be sure to get even with _both_ of them. Dayn didn't particularly care if Jarek saw him or not, for he relished a chance to fight with the older boy. Especially if Jarek started it first. Dayn was shrewd enough to maneuver others into starting the fight first, and he was quite skilled at it, but Galahad wasn't the fighter that Dayn was. Dayn gave him a comforting smile, and leaned closer.

"Don't worry, he can't see us. He just thinks it was me. You'd better hurry up and get down though…he'll start up here after us." Sure enough, while Jarek was climbing up one direction, the boys were going down another, and they slipped out of the stable the same way they'd come in, with no one the wiser.

As they headed back to the barracks, Galahad looked at Dayn with newfound respect.

"Where did you get the wine?" he asked Dayn curiously.

"I stole it. From that stupid, fat Roman who owns the winery."

"Dayn, we're not supposed to steal. Arthur's going to be angry."

"Only if he finds out. Besides, that Roman deserved it. He's a liar and a cheat, but more than that, he's a Roman," Dayn said, his lip curling in a sneer.

"If the Roman catches you, it's going to be bad, Dayn. He'll cut your hand off!"

"Nah, he's too fat to catch me," Dayn said with a laugh, and Galahad smiled.

"You know Jarek's going to get you back tomorrow, don't you?"

"Oh, I think Jarek's going to be a little too busy to think about that," Dayn said with a mysterious smile.

"You have something else planned, don't you?"

"You'll see," Dayn replied. And he refused to say anything more on the matter.

* * *

The next morning, Galahad anxiously watched the doors to the main hall, waiting for Jarek to arrive with fury. Dayn seemed completely unconcerned as he happily ate his breakfast. 

"Dayn, maybe you'd better hurry," Galahad said, leaning in Dayn's direction. "You should leave before Jarek comes in. Maybe he'll forget, then."

"Stop worrying, Galahad. I promise Jarek won't be here this morning," he told Galahad assuredly. With that, he turned back to his meal, leaving Galahad to glance worriedly toward the door.

When Arthur arrived a few moments later with several of the other knights behind him, Dayn quickly pushed his plate away, wiping his mouth hurriedly on his sleeve in the hopes that Arthur wouldn't notice that he hadn't waited for everyone before he started to eat. Arthur gave him a look that clearly said he wasn't fooled as he motioned for the others to have a seat. Soon, only Dagonet, Uwain, and Jarek weren't at the table, and the knights began to glance at the door impatiently. Arthur was just about to send someone in search of them when the doors opened and Uwain came in.

"Jarek won't make it, Arthur. He's ill," he told the Roman commander. "Dagonet is with him right now, but he said to tell you he'll be along shortly."

Only Galahad noticed the smile tugging at the corners of Dayn's mouth, a smile he struggled to hold in.

"Did Dagonet say what brought on Jarek's illness, Uwain?" Arthur asked, and Uwain shook his head.

"No, Arthur. He only said it was the worst case of vomiting he's ever seen."

"He's been throwing up for most of the night, Arthur," Caderyn added, a gleam of spite in his eyes that almost matched Dayn's. With Jarek's absence accounted for, the knights determined that it was alright for them to begin eating, so they quickly started passing the food-laden platters around the table before Arthur could protest.

When Arthur didn't say anything about him eating before everyone had arrived, Dayn took it as a sign that things were going his way, and he dug into his food as enthusiastically as the other knights. As it was, he barely even looked up when Dagonet came in until the older knight sat down in his customary seat beside Dayn. He gave Dagonet a quick smile before pushing one of the platters towards him without a second glance.

"Dagonet, how is Jarek?" Arthur asked. At this, Dayn looked up, as eager as Arthur to hear of Jarek's condition, but for an entirely different reason.

"Just dry heaves now, Arthur. The boy's already thrown up the contents of his stomach. There's nothing left in him now. Must have been something he ate." Dayn settled back against his chair, a content smile on his face as Caderyn started to chuckle. At a stern look from Arthur, Caderyn suppressed his laughter, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

"Did you have anything to do with this, Caderyn?" Arthur asked seriously, turning a forbidding gaze on Caderyn.

"Arthur, would I do something like that?" Caderyn countered with an innocent expression.

"Caderyn, do not take me for a fool. I'm not that naïve to think that you aren't capable of doing something like this. Now answer my question."

"For once, I can honestly say that I had no part in this. For all I know, the stupid ass ate something that disagreed with him like Dagonet said. Either way, I think it's a just punishment from the gods of misfortune—he's been nothing but trouble since he came here. I, for one, think he deserves every ill-begotten thing that comes to him, and I'm not going to sit here and act like I feel sorry for him. I don't." Caderyn crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at Arthur stubbornly, as though daring him to argue. But Arthur was not a stupid man, and he saw Caderyn's sentiments echoed around the table, with only Uwain and Strephon appearing to disagree with Caderyn's words.

The argument was dropped, and Caderyn and Gawain playfully picked up on an argument that had been ongoing for several years. It never even entered Arthur's mind to suspect Dayn. After all, who would have thought that a nine-year-old was capable of such tricks?

A few moments later, Dagonet reached over and nudged Dayn, waiting until the boy had turned to look at him before leaning down to speak softly in his ear.

"You're lucky I don't like Jarek any more than you do. If Arthur knew you'd poisoned him, he'd have your hide for sure. Regardless, it had best not happen again," he said pointedly, giving Dayn a hard look.

"Don't worry, Dagonet. It won't." _At least not to Jarek,_ he thought, eyeing Lancelot speculatively. Just as quickly as the thought came to him, he discarded the idea—it was best not to use the same trick twice. Besides, the others liked Lancelot a bit too much for the trick to go well, and the others would suspect if Lancelot came down with the same ailment as Jarek. No, he'd have to think of something else for Lancelot. A smile slowly blossomed on his face, and Dagonet eyed him suspiciously, knowing instinctively that Dayn was definitely up to something.

* * *

Much to Galahad's relief, things went exactly as Dayn predicted. When Jarek finally got over his sudden illness, he had forgotten all about the incident with the wine. Dagonet watched Dayn closely, wondering if perhaps he'd been wrong to suspect Dayn of being up to something. It had been two days since the unpleasant business of Jarek's affliction, and Dayn had shown no signs of mischief. The small boy was practicing once more with his sword, this time with Caderyn, so things were going well. Arthur had been happy to learn that Dayn was not only showing some improvement, but that he was beginning to take a more active part in the activities of his fellow Sarmatians. He and Galahad seemed to have developed a budding friendship, giving Dayn someone young enough to still play with him, much to the relief of the others, for with Dayn occupied, they were free to do more without having to keep such a strict eye on him. 

Dagonet's careful attention to Dayn's whereabouts slowly relaxed, and Dayn smiled to himself as he watched Dagonet wander off at last to attend to his own duties.

"Hey, Caderyn, can we stop? Just for a bit—I'm thirsty," he said in a plaintive voice.

"Yeah, alright," Caderyn said good-naturedly. He slid his sword into his scabbard and watched Dayn run off in search of water to drink. He shook his head fondly, as he headed for shade, wiping at the sweat on his face. It was strangely hot for this time of year, and Dayn had enough enthusiasm and energy to make anyone long for a break.

Dayn scurried out of sight, knowing that he'd have to hurry if he wanted everything to go according to plan. Dagonet had left at precisely the right moment, so there was just enough time for him to pull off this new scheme. As he broke into a run, he opened the pouch at his waist and pulled out a coin he'd swiped from Jarek the day before. It wasn't just any coin, Dayn knew, but Jarek's so-called "lucky coin," and Jarek had been frantic when he'd discovered it missing. Dayn had secretly enjoyed watching Jarek search everywhere for it, while all the while it had been safe and secure in his tunic. Jarek was safely out of the way, still searching the fort for the stupid coin, so Dayn didn't have to worry about him. He turned a corner and switched directions, dodging around soldiers and villagers alike as he headed for the bath-house at a swift run.

When he reached his destination, he slowed to a walk, listening quietly at each door he came to. It wasn't until he heard a sharp intake of breath and a high-pitched giggle that he suddenly came to a stop in front of the door to one of the private baths. Cautiously nudging open the door, he peeked in and smiled when he saw Lancelot inside, his back to the door as he held one of the bath maids to him, nuzzling her neck with a playful grin. Dayn took a moment to stare in disgust at the naked girl, wondering why on earth Lancelot would want to play with her. _Girls are gross—why do the older boys like them so much anyway? _Shaking his head, he slipped inside with a grin. Neither one noticed when Dayn rolled Lancelot's clothing into a bundle and tucked it under his arm as he placed Jarek's coin where Lancelot was sure to see it. He left as quietly as he'd entered, and as soon as he was outside, he began to laugh with childlike glee as he dumped Lancelot's clothes in a barrel of waste nearby before hurrying back to where Caderyn waited.

"Alright, I'm back!" He picked up his wooden sword once more and stood squarely with his feet planted firmly as Caderyn strolled forward with a grin. _That didn't take long at all._

* * *

At the table that evening, Jarek was once again absent, as was Lancelot, a strange occurrence, as Lancelot was rarely late for any occasion. 

"Where are Jarek and Lancelot?" Arthur asked as he gazed around the table. Dayn pillowed his head on his arms as he looked sleepily from the empty seats to Arthur. At that moment, Lancelot strode into the room, an angry expression on his face as he dropped into his seat without a word. His foul mood was easy to see, and the others glanced at him curiously but didn't comment. Lancelot was somewhat temperamental at times, but on the rare occasion when he slipped into a bad mood, it was best to leave him alone.

"Lancelot, have you seen Jarek?"

"Yes."

"Well, did he say when he would arrive?" Arthur asked with a hint of impatience.

"I don't think he's going to make it tonight, Arthur," Lancelot replied shortly as he grabbed the ale and poured himself a large portion.

"Why not?" Lancelot placed the ale back on the table with a loud thud and glared at Arthur angrily.

"Because, Arthur, I just beat the shit out of him and I don't think he's capable of making it over here, that's why not."

"You did what!"

"I didn't stutter when I spoke."

"Lancelot, what madness possessed you to do something like that?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"I thought that perhaps a good beating would teach the little bastard to keep his hands off my clothes. He left me stranded in the bath-house after he stole my clothing, but he slipped up and left that coin of his lying right where my clothes had been. And then, the bastard tried to lie to me and say he didn't do it." Lancelot fell silent as his eyes glowed with anger. He took a large swallow of ale before turning to face Arthur defiantly. "He thought he could get away with it, but now he knows otherwise."

"What you did was entirely out of line, and completely inappropriate to the offense," Arthur exclaimed.

"I taught him a well-deserved lesson," Lancelot countered, his calm tone belying the fury in his eyes.

"We will speak of this later, Lancelot," Arthur finished, preferring not to give Lancelot a dressing-down in front of the others.

"If you like. But don't fool yourself into thinking that I'm going to apologize." Arthur barely suppressed a sigh at Lancelot's response, filling a familiar weariness well up as he struggled daily to handle the fierce pride and the numerous problems associated with having so many different personalities among his Sarmatian knights.

Dagonet watched with a discerning gaze as Lancelot motioned for Bors to pass him a platter of roasted boar. He turned to look at Dayn, who caught his gaze and smiled sweetly up at him. His expression was entirely innocent as he yawned drowsily before turning back to his dinner. Dagonet resumed eating, but his mind was racing furiously, trying to figure out if Dayn could have possibly had anything to do with the trouble between Lancelot and Jarek. _Surely a child couldn't have engineered such an incident to happen…right?_

After Dayn was asleep in his bed, Dagonet pulled Caderyn aside, away from the other knights to question him about Dayn's whereabouts that day.

"Caderyn, was Dayn ever out of your sight today?"

"No, of course not," Caderyn said, looking past Dagonet to his bed with longing eyes.

"Caderyn, this is important—at least give the question some thought."

"Fine, let me think for a moment." He was silent as he thought back on all that had happened that day, before his eyes lit up and he looked back at Dagonet. "Well, there was only the one time. He went to ease his thirst once…but he wasn't gone long, and he came right back."

"When was he gone?"

"Well, it was right after you left…" he trailed off, looking at Dagonet worriedly.

"And Lancelot was in the bath-house at that point, yes?"

"Well, I don't exactly keep up with Lancelot's comings and goings, but yes, I suppose he was. He's a creature of habit, and it was his usual time to go to the bath-house."

"So, Dayn had the opportunity to steal Lancelot's clothing?"

"Well, yes, if he hurried. But why would he do that?"

"My friend, I'm beginning to think that Dayn is a dangerous boy to provoke."

"Do you think we should tell Lance?"

"Gods, boy, have you lost your senses? Lancelot would kill him…No, you just keep quiet about this, do you hear me? I'll take care of it," Dagonet said. _Looks like it'll be up to me to speak to Dayn about this. Gods, there are days that I hate having to play father to this boy. This should be Arthur's job. Or Aldric's. _But Dagonet had developed a soft spot for the boy, and he didn't want him to be in trouble with Arthur or Aldric. So it looked like he only had the one choice. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

* * *

A/N: Please read and review for me! I love reviews! 

**chiefhow:** Yeah, isn't it just like the knights to take a kid to a tavern? The thought process there is pretty amusing--you can tell they don't have a female's input into their decision making. Glad you like Dayn's thought process…it's sort of fun trying to think like a kid would…it's a lot like trying to write Hummingbird. The motives and the personalities are a bit different, and Dayn's a bit older, but it's similar in a way.

**daggend:** Looks like you won't have to learn how to throw that dagger after all…of course, it might be an entertaining hobby to have, so you might want to pursue it anyway—lol. Lance is quite fond of maids, isn't he? I try to put humor into all of my stories, because it makes it more fun to read, you know? Anyways, I hope you like this chapter as well!

**ModestySparrow9:** Lance got a bit more action in this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed his scenes. A lot of thought goes into names, so I'm glad you like the names. Yeah, Vanora makes appearances randomly, so expect to see her occasionally. Oh, and I'm glad you liked the title of the last chapter. This chapter gave me a bit of trouble as far as the name goes, but I was happy with the end result.

**dmitchell1974:** Yeah, it appears as though Dayn is becoming a regular Dennis the Menace. But I'm having fun with him, so I'm just going to continue to let him cause trouble for a bit. Yeah, Hayden would make a great Dayn, wouldn't he? And once you said Christian Bale would be a good Caderyn, well…it got me thinking, that's for sure. You're really good at matching actors up with my characters—something I have a hard time doing. Anyways, thanks for all your lovely compliments—they really make me feel good! I'll start working on "A Shattered Soul" shortly, so I hope you'll keep reading and reviewing for me!

**Camreyn:** Hey, it's been awhile since I've gotten in touch with you…things have gotten really busy lately. It's taking me so long to write that I don't like making anyone wait any longer while I try and get someone to beta for me. So I've just been doing the best I can and hoping that I find all of the mistakes. Anyways, I'm so glad that you review for me all the time—it's always so nice to find reviews waiting for me! I hope you'll read and review this one for me!


	5. Chapter 5: Understanding Mortality

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Chapter 5: Understanding the Nature of Mortality

"The Woads are at it again, Arthur." Dayn looked up when Aldric came in, his brow wrinkled with worry as he took his seat at the table.

"They gave you trouble?"

"Yeah, one of their cursed arrows almost found me."

"But you're uninjured?"

"Yes, Arthur. I'm just tired is all."

"Arthur?"

"Yes, Dayn?" Arthur responded, wondering if this was going to be another one of those times where the boy's questions led to a headache.

"What are Woads?"

"Not what, Dayn. Who. The Woads are natives of this land who resist Roman sovereignty."

"What does that mean?"

"It means they fight against us and against Rome, boy," Lancelot said impatiently, wishing Arthur wouldn't beat around the bush so much. _Only Arthur would try to make things sound so much nicer than they really are, _he thought

"So they kill Romans?" Dayn asked with a hint of admiration in his voice as he stared at Arthur with wide eyes.

"Yes, and that is why they are a danger to us, Dayn. Because we serve Rome, it is our duty to fight the Woads who would attack us and the Romans who are stationed here."

"So Rome stole their lands, and because they want their country back, we have to kill them?" he asked hotly.

"Dayn," Arthur began with a sigh, "we are Roman soldiers. We have to protect Roman interests.

"I am no Roman!" Dayn shouted angrily. "I'm Sarmatian, which you seem to forget!"

"That's enough, Dayn."

"Stupid Romans, always have to get others to fight for them because they can't fight for themselves," he argued. "I think the Woads have the right idea--why can't we help the Woads kill the Romans so they can have their lands back?"

"That's treason you speak of, boy," Dagonet broke in curtly. "Keep quiet."

"But no one would have to know," Dayn said earnestly.

"You know, he has a point," Braden said quietly, casting his eyes up to meet Arthur's.

"Be silent, Braden. Dayn is young, and not to be taken seriously, but for you, talk like that could get you executed."

"See, Arthur! Braden agrees with me! I bet everyone else does, too, only they won't say it!" Dayn continued.

"Dayn!" Arthur said loudly, his voice echoing around the room. When Dayn fell silent, Arthur gave him a hard look and said, "Consider the matter closed. You will speak no more of this."

"You just don't want to hear it because you know I'm right!" Dayn exclaimed. He surged out of his chair and stormed out of the room while the others looked on.

"That boy has a hatred for Rome that makes ours pale in comparison," Ingram said quietly.

"And why do I get the feeling that his hatred is going to bring trouble down on us all one day?" Lancelot said quietly, his usual smirk absent as he stared after Dayn.

* * *

The next day found Arthur walking to the Round Table to break his fast with a heavy heart. When he took his place, the others immediately sensed the change in his mood and everyone sobered, wondering what could be wrong. 

"Orders have come from Rome," Arthur began, "It is to be war with the Woads. Too many Romans have died for this threat to be ignored any longer. "This afternoon, we ride to Petrianis where we will meet with a Roman general named Tacitus, his family, and his honor guard. From there, we will serve as their escort, and lead them back here. Any questions?"

"Does that mean you're taking all of us this time, Arthur?" Jarek asked excitedly.

"I'm sorry, Jarek, but no. You, Galahad, Roderick, Dayn, and Cei will remain here." A chorus of protests arose from the boys who were to be left behind, and he held up a hand for silence, noting that Dayn didn't seem at all concerned about being left behind.

"Dayn, you've been chomping at the bit for a chance to fight, and now you're not even going to try and convince Arthur to let you go--why is that?" Gawain asked curiously.

"Well, why the hell should I care about protecting some stupid Roman? You all can go save Romans if you want, but I'm not going to help you," he said nonchalantly as he began to eat once more as the older knights looked on in amusement._ Besides, it will be much easier to make trouble for the Romans if you're all gone_, Dayn thought with a smile.

"Arthur, there's one flaw in your plan," Dagonet said quietly. "With all of us gone, who's going to look after Dayn?"

"I don't need anyone to look after me!" Dayn protested indignantly.

"Yes, you do," half of the knights aid simultaneously.

"Wait, Arthur--I might have a solution," Bors spoke up. "How about if Vanora looks after him? She's good with little ones." Jarek smirked and Dayn's temper snapped.

"I'm not little, and I won't stay with her!" Dayn yelled, throwing his cup in Arthur's direction.

"Yes, you will, Dayn," Lancelot said curtly, "because I'm not getting left behind to watch over you, nor will I ride out of here with less than a full cavalry because anyone _else_ was forced to stay behind." With an angry sneer, Dayn shoved his plate off the table, and it landed with a loud clatter as he stormed from the room.

"You know, we really need to work on teaching him to control his temper," Bors said thoughtfully. "He has a certain inclination for throwing cups and plates."

"Wishful thinking, Bors. It'll never happen," Caderyn said as he picked an apple up from the bowl in front of him and wiped it on his tunic.

"I'll deal with Dayn," Arthur said slowly. "The rest of you need to get your things together. Those of you who are staying, I expect you to take care of yourselves and stay out of trouble," he said sternly. "And Jarek, I don't want you provoking Dayn. Stay away from him, do you understand?"

"Yes, Arthur," Jarek said resentfully.

With the exception of Dayn, Arthur wasn't too concerned, confident that the boys would be fine on their own. Everyone trickled out of the room, Bors lingering long enough to finish his last cup of ale before he hurried after the others, and Arthur went in search of Dayn, dreading having to try and reason with the quarrelsome ten-year-old.

It soon became obvious however that Dayn was in no hurry to be found, and if Dayn didn't want to be found, there were very few people who could find him. _I don't have time for this, _Arthur thought with no small measure of annoyance. Spotting Tristan walking toward the stables with his hawk perched on his arm, he hurried to catch up with him.

"Tristan, I can't seem to find Dayn anywhere, and I need to speak with him before we leave. Can you find him for me?" Tristan nodded and headed off in the opposite direction to find the boy without a word. Within moments, Tristan reappeared, his hand fisted in the neck of Dayn's tunic as he led him to where Arthur stood.

"Sometimes, I don't like you, Tristan," Dayn said with a scowl as he glared at Tristan over his shoulder.

"Likewise, Dayn," Tristan said quietly as he left Dayn to Arthur. Dayn made a rude gesture at Tristan's retreating figure before looking up at Arthur in annoyance.

"What did you want?" he asked impatiently.

"You know, Dayn, Vanora is a nice woman, and she'll take good care of you," Arthur said softly.

"What's your point?"

"I'd really like for you to stay with her. Then, I won't have to worry about you. It will put my mind at ease. Do this for me, Dayn."

"Will you hurry back, then?"

"Yes. If you'll agree to stay with Vanora and keep out of trouble, then we shall all hurry back as quickly as we can."

"Very well," Dayn said with a sigh of acquiescence, and Arthur ruffled his hair as he smiled a goodbye and headed for the stables where the others waited. _Please let him keep his word, God,_ he thought wearily. _Just this once, let him cause no trouble so that we may return to some measure of peace._

* * *

"Arthur, it looks like Tristan found him," Ingram murmured, motioning with his head toward the door where Tristan had suddenly appeared, his hand on Dayn's shoulder. 

"We've been looking for you, Dayn," Arthur said softly as Tristan firmly maneuvered Dayn to his seat.

"Yeah, well, I was busy," Dayn replied with a shrug.

"You were supposed to be with Vanora," Arthur said absently, "but that isn't the issue right now."

"I told you before, Arthur, I can take care of myself," Dayn said stubbornly. "Besides, I did stay with her—I was only riding around on one of the horses."

"That's not why I sent for you, Dayn." It was then that Dayn picked up on the somber atmosphere that filled the room, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he gazed around the table at each of the knights in turn.

"Where's Braden?" he asked, noticing the empty chair between Ingram and Tristan.

"Dayn, I'm sorry, but…Braden was killed on the journey home." Dayn stilled, his face betraying nothing as he stared blankly at Arthur. Everyone waited silently for Dayn to acknowledge Arthur's words, and Tristan was beginning to wonder if the boy understood when Dayn spoke, his voice quiet.

"That's not true. You shouldn't tease, Arthur—it's not very nice."

"Dayn…"

"NO!" Dayn yelled suddenly, his stoic façade disappearing as he exploded up from his seat. "Braden is not dead! He's going to show me how to set a trap so I can catch rabbits," Dayn said, his voice rising in denial. "He promised!"

Arthur's throat tightened at Dayn's desperate attempts to deny the truth even as the boy's eyes shined with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry," he said again, knowing that his sympathy meant nothing, and in the face of grief, did little good.

"I did what you said—I stayed, and I didn't make any trouble! This is all your fault," he screamed as tears began to stream down his face. He shifted into Sarmatian speech, and the rest of his words were lost on Arthur. Lancelot winced at the words exploding from Dayn's mouth, wondering absently where Dayn had picked up such coarse language. Regardless, he was glad that Arthur knew them not, because it would have pained him greatly if he'd understood the blame that Dayn was placing on him in between the curse words.

"Come now, boy," Aldric said softly back to him, "it wasn't Arthur's fault. He did the best he could to keep Braden alive, but ultimately, our fates are in the hands of the gods, and no man can prevail over that."

Dayn refused to hear his words, and ran from the room, leaving Arthur staring in concern.

"Should I go after him, Arthur?" Caderyn asked softly.

"If you think it will help, by all means, go. But I don't think he's ready to listen yet."

"He's too young for this life, Arthur. He doesn't understand," Dagonet said, and Arthur nodded.

"I know, Dagonet. I shield him as much as I can, but there are some things that we can't protect him from. Death is one of those things."

"He's lost someone before, Arthur," Caderyn said softly, "He knows the pain of losing someone, and he holds all the more tightly to us because of it."

"Go after him, Caderyn," Arthur said quietly, acknowledging the truth in Caderyn's words.

Caderyn stood and followed Dayn at a slow walk, wondering what the hell he was going to say to a small boy who was hurting. _How can I spare him his grief, when I feel so much of my own? _he thought, feeling a pain in his heart as he caught sight of Dayn up ahead.

"Dayn, wait!" He sped up, trying to catch up with Dayn, but Dayn was having none of it.

"Leave me alone!"

"Dayn, there was nothing anyone could have done to save him. He was dead before he hit the ground," Caderyn said softly, thinking back on the sight of Braden falling from his horse with an arrow through his chest.

"I don't care! Go away!"

"I know it hurts, Dayn, but at least he didn't suffer."

"Oh, and that's supposed to make it all better? He shouldn't have been there, Caderyn," Dayn shouted, his face red with fury.

"Look, I'm sure Tristan can show you how to trap rabbits," Caderyn said cajolingly.

"Who cares about the damn rabbits!" Dayn kicked at a bucket, feeling a small measure of satisfaction when the contents spilled out over the ground. Anger warred with grief, and Caderyn grabbed him before he could destroy anything else, holding him tightly as Dayn raged at fate. Finally, Dayn's anger subsided and he began to sob, burying his face in Caderyn's tunic, just wishing that Caderyn could stop everything bad from happening.

"Dayn, you forget—Braden was Sarmatian, and a great fighter. He'll return one day. Perhaps as your first horse, hmm?" Dayn shrugged, but didn't say anything as he slowly pulled away from Caderyn. "Are you alright, now?" Dayn said nothing, simply turned and walked away, his head hanging even as a few last tears trickled down his face.

* * *

Dagonet glanced at Dayn, his brow creasing with worry as he watched Dayn sit silently in his seat at the knights' customary table. The tavern was loud, as it usually was, but for once the knights did not contribute to the noise. In the two days since Braden was buried, the mood among the knights had remained solemn, no one feeling up to the level of carousing they normally engaged in. 

"I'm worried about him, Aldric," Dagonet murmured, turning to look at the older knight as he set a fresh cup of ale down before him. "Caderyn said he talked to him, but I don't think it did any good. The boy's just not right. Look at him," he said, nodding in Dayn's direction.

Aldric cast a look at Dayn, frowning at the sight of the boy staring at the cup of milk in front of him with unseeing eyes.

"Is he eating? Sleeping?" he asked Dagonet, noting the dark shadows under Dayn's eyes.

"I don't know. He's stopped talking to me. Actually, he's not talking to anybody these days," Dagonet pointed out.

"He's stopped talking again?" Aldric asked with a hint of dismay. "Gods, I thought we were past all that," he said, massaging his temples wearily.

"He's not handling this well…Arthur's going to have to talk to him."

"Now there's a bad idea," Caderyn broke in, plopping into a seat across from them with a sigh.

"Why would you say that?" Aldric asked with a scowl as he watched Caderyn take a swig of ale from Aldric's cup.

"Because, to Dayn, all of this is Arthur's fault, and he's about as likely to listen to Arthur right now as Tristan is to take up storytelling as a pastime," he said, nudging Tristan playfully.

Beside him, Tristan raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment, merely picking up his cup and leaving for a refill.

Aldric was about to speak when he noticed Dayn sit up, his eyes narrowing in an alarming way.

"Heads up, boys, something's up." As they watched, Dayn shoved away from the table, heading for Lancelot with an enraged expression. Lancelot, occupied by the playful wench in his lap, failed to notice the infuriated boy until Dayn shoved the poor girl onto the floor.

"Dayn! What's the matter with you!" Lancelot yelled angrily. Without answering, Dayn barreled into Lancelot at full speed, the impact being enough to knock Lancelot off his feet with Dayn landing on top of him. Being older and more experienced, Lancelot quickly recovered and rolled, dumping Dayn to the floor in a heap.

"Has he completely lost his senses?" Gawain asked incredulously as he, Bors, and Ingram waded into the fray to grab a hold of Dayn before Lancelot lost his temper and hurt him.

"Dayn, what's wrong with you, boy? Are you mad?" Bors asked as he grabbed Dayn around the waist and lifted him off the floor.

"Braden's dead, and all Lance cares about is a stupid girl!" Dayn yelled angrily.

"My, he learns quick, doesn't he?" Caderyn commented wryly, amused by the young boy's knowledge of Lancelot's frequent transgressions with the opposite sex.

"I got this," Aldric said, motioning for Bors to carry Dayn outside. With difficulty, Bors held onto the struggling ten-year-old as he followed Aldric outside, and it was with relief that he dropped Dayn onto the ground and went back to his ale, leaving Aldric to deal with the belligerent boy.

"I hate him! Braden isn't here anymore, and Lancelot doesn't care. He's just trying to get under that girl's skirts!" Dayn said angrily.

"Boy, what you need to understand is that we all deal with things differently. Some people, like Tristan, like to be alone, while others would rather be in good company and share their grief. Lancelot finds comfort in the arms of a good woman, and you shouldn't fault him for that."

"It's not right, Aldric," Dayn said stubbornly.

"Lancelot is just as hurt by Braden's death as the rest of us, Dayn, perhaps even more so than you. He rode with Braden for years before you came, and no doubt he feels the loss keenly. But he doesn't show his emotions the way you do, Dayn. Your answer to everything is to get angry, and we try to be considerate of that, even if we don't always understand it. I think you owe Lancelot that same courtesy."

"Why couldn't it have been Lance who died, instead of Braden?" Dayn said softly.

"The world doesn't work that way, boy. The gods dispense death how they will, not as you or I would have it."

"Why do the gods always take away people away from me?" he asked, looking up at Aldric with sad, confused eyes.

"Everyone passes from this world, Dayn. It is the nature of life that all things must die someday, and it's left to the living to grieve their passing and move on. Braden's moment came, and he met his death well."

"Yeah?" Aldric nodded, pleased to see the anger fading from Dayn's eyes as he considered Aldric's words.

"Do you feel better now?" Dayn returned his nod, rubbing his eyes tiredly as the anger that had sustained him over the last few days diminished. "Why don't you go on to bed now, Dayn?"

"Alright," Dayn mumbled, surprising Aldric with his lack of argument. Aldric watched as Dayn turned away from the tavern and slowly walked back towards the barracks. "I still wish it had been Lance," he called back over his shoulder, and Aldric chuckled as he shook his head and went back inside for one last drink.

* * *

A/N: Ok, so I can't recall where the name Tacitus came from—it's from something I've read, but I don't recall it, and as it is somewhat difficult to find good Latin names, I just decided to go with it. Anyways, please review for me—I love to hear what you all think! 

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED MY LAST CHAPTER! I felt so loved! It really means a lot that you all take the time to send me reviews, and I appreciate it so much.

**ModestySparrow9**: You know, it's been a whole month since I last updated this story…this time, it wasn't so much because of a length issue, but rather a matter of finding the time to sit down and do it. There's also the matter of my other two fics, as they take up a considerable amount of time. Oh well…I try. That's pretty cool about your Eomer/Ella dream…The whole idea behind Ella's character actually came from a dream I had myself, so that's pretty neat. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and with any luck, I can get the next one up faster.

**Camreyn**: You know, considering how much trouble I come up with for Dayn, I really wasn't a mischievous child. I'm not even a mischievous adult…funny how that works. Maybe I repressed that part of my personality. Dagonet and Aldric both sort of fill the fatherly role, while Caderyn takes on the "older brother" role. I decided it was time to skip ahead another year, so I didn't write the conversation you were looking for, but I hope this chapter is still pleasing.

**dmitchell**: It's always great to hear from a fellow Southerner—lol! It's also good to know that someone actually reads my URL—thanks! I still haven't decided if Viggo is who I picture for Aldric, but I'm still thinking on it. It's tricky, because in the other fic, he's an older man…it's hard to picture him both young and old. Oh, and since you asked, the job is going okay. It's just tiring…I'm working with the 7-9 year olds now, and they're demanding. But it has its moments. Thanks for asking!

**Daggend**: Glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Dayn is usually the sort of person who gets immediate revenge, so the fact that he actually took the time to plan this out took Dagonet by surprise. It's when you don't see the revenge coming that you really have to worry. I'm glad you didn't find anything wrong…I have the same issue with this chapter as well…I don't always make good use of my beta. It's a patience issue on my part. Anyways, let me know what you think!

**MissBubbles**: So glad you're back! I'm glad you like all of the knights' little quirks—I have so much fun with them. You and Camreyn were both hoping I'd insert the conversation between Dag and Dayn in, but I just couldn't find a way to fit it into a chapter, especially since I felt the need to skip to Dayn at age 10. Sorry about that, but I hoped you liked the chapter anyway.

**Cardeia**: Wow, your review was quite touching. To answer your question, I have quite a number of original fics, but nothing that's online, and none of it is finished. I would like to publish one of my originals one day, but I have to finish it first, and I've sort of stalled on them, largely due to my fanfics. I think the reason that Caderyn and some of the other original characters have so much personality is because I've been working with quite a few of them for a while now, as some of them show up in "The Peril of Secrets." They're just so much a part of the story now that it's not hard for me to write them. Hope this chapter was worth the wait. Anyways, thanks so much for sending me a review, and for the compliments!

**Eoin**: I'm really sorry for the lack of mischief in here, but I really had to get this chapter in, and it wasn't really conducive to the mischief. This one's more serious than the last, so it's only a few random lines that have humor injected into them. Most of the story is going to get a bit darker from now on, but please know that I try my best to put at least something funny into each chapter. I hope it wasn't too disappointing for you.

**chiefhow**: Yeah, Dayn's pranks are rather entertaining, aren't they? They're not always easy to come up with, though, so I have to work extra hard at that aspect. Like I told Eoin, this chapter doesn't really have the mischief in it, but there was really no help for it. I had to get this one in here, but I hope you got a bit of enjoyment out of some of Dayn's lines. I try to squish something funny in every now and then.


	6. Chapter 6: The Trouble with Women

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

A/N: Ok, my beta read over this for me, so any mistakes left are entirely my own.

Chapter 6: The Trouble with Women

Dayn walked slowly, his eyes scanning the ground carefully in search of rocks. He could see in his mind the perfect stone, rounded and smooth, and just perfect for his sling. Gareth had been teaching him how to use the simple peace of leather, but his aim still wasn't perfect, and Dayn was going to practice. But first, he had to find the perfect stones.

He wanted to be able to put a rock into someone's eye from fifty paces, and the only way to do that was to practice. So he practiced. Sometimes for hours at a time, much to the annoyance of whoever happened to be keeping an eye on him at the time. _There,_ he thought with satisfaction as he spotted a promising rock nestled in the ground before him. He crouched down to pick it up, examining it as he peeled it from the dirt, admiring its perfect form. He could almost picture it hitting Jarek or Uwain in the face, square between the eyes. He chuckled at the thought as he dusted the rock off, wondering when the opportunity would present itself.

"Hello! What are you doing?" The cheerful voice startled Dayn out of his reverie and he looked up to see a girl about his own age smiling at him.

"Lookin' for rocks."

"What for?"

"To shoot with."

"What are you going to shoot?" she asked, her smile replaced with a worried frown.

"I dunno."

"You're not going to shoot animals, are you?" she asked, worried about the small creatures that wandered through the village.

"What would I go wasting good rocks on stupid animals for?" Dayn asked derisively, his tone more than expressing his disdain at the idea.

"Oh, well, then you're going to shoot people then? You'd better not, you'll get into trouble."

"Not if no one knows it was me," Dayn answered.

"I'll know it was you," she said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, well you don't even know who I am."

"Of course I do. You're Dayn of Sarmatia. I see you all the time," she said expertly.

"How?" Dayn asked, more than annoyed that this girl knew who he was while he knew nothing of her.

"You come into the tavern with Lancelot and the others sometimes, and my sister told me who you were when I asked her."

"And who is your sister?"

"Her name is Anna." At the name, Dayn suddenly recalled who she was—Anna was one of the serving maids at a tavern the knights frequented. Lancelot was particularly fond of her, so it only stood to reason that she would know the knights through her connection to Lancelot. She was loud, nosey, and annoying in Dayn's opinion, and it seemed to him as though her sister was no exception.

"I've never seen you there before," Dayn said with annoyance.

"I'm too young to serve. I just clean up sometimes in the kitchens, that's all. My name's Jillian."

"Why are you following me?"

"Well, I don't have anyone else to play with," she said with a shrug, a slight frown on her face.

"Don't you know any girls you could go play with?"

"No," she replied sadly with a shake of her head. "Can I help you pick up rocks? I can put them in my apron so you don't have to carry all of them," she offered helpfully.

Dayn thought of the handfuls of rocks he already held carefully balanced in his arms, and reluctantly agreed. He didn't really care much for girls—_useless, they are_, he thought, but he was lonely, and at least he could get some help out of it. He had to admit, he thought as she loosed his rocks into her apron, it was a lot easier than holding onto all of them.

"Ooh, look, here's a rock," Jillian said happily.

"No, that's no good. It's too big," he said, shaking his head. "Here, look, this is the kind of rock I need," he told her, holding out one for her to inspect. She examined it closely before nodding confidently.

"I can find some like that." And sure enough, she could. She was almost as good as he was at finding the right kind, Dayn admitted to himself, and they spent the rest of the morning looking until Jillian's apron was brimming with rocks. _Maybe girls aren't so annoying after all…_

* * *

A few days later, Dayn snuck Jillian into the fort, knowing that she'd be in trouble if she were caught in the garrison walls. Women and children were supposed to stay in the _vicus_, the village outside the garrison, and although Dayn was still very young, he was considered an exception due to his status as a knight-in-training. Jillian would not be so lucky if she were caught. 

"Dayn, are you sure about this? I'm scared," Jillian said nervously. "I don't think this is such a great idea."

"Aw, come on, you're acting like a little girl," Dayn scoffed, and Jillian frowned at him before allowing him to lead on, her hand nestled in his own. Dayn couldn't really say why he was letting Jillian come with him. But for a girl, Jillian wasn't so bad. And if he held her hand, well, it was only because she was scared, he reasoned, even as his hand tightened around hers.

Together, they climbed up onto a large bale of hay, laying down on their stomachs to look over the top.

"Are you sure no one can see us?"

"I'm sure," he answered confidently. "Here, look, if you're that worried, put my cloak on over your dress."

"Dayn, they'll still see my dress underneath," she pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I guess we'll have to hope that doesn't happen." Her eyes widened fearfully, and Dayn grinned. "Look, don't worry. I won't let that happen."

"But…"

"Shhh, I'm concentrating," he told her, having turned his attention back to the Roman soldiers who were sparring below." Jillian slipped closer to him, but said nothing as Dayn examined each of the soldiers in turn.

"That one," Dayn said finally, pointing to one of the soldiers so Jillian could see him.

"He looks like an oaf," she said critically.

"Yeah, and he acts like one, too. What do you expect from a Roman?"

"But your commander is a Roman, isn't he?"

"He's half-Briton, though. Arthur's different than other Romans."

"So what are you going to do?" Dayn looked at her questioningly, confused by her sudden shift in subject. "About the oaf, Dayn," she said, nodding her head toward the Roman.

"Oh, that. I'm going to practice my aim," Dayn said with a grin as he pulled his sling from his belt.

* * *

"Dayn, I'd like a word with you." Dayn grimaced as Arthur called him back to the table as everyone else trickled out of the room.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"I want to know what possessed you to bring a young girl into the garrison when you know it's forbidden?"

"We were just…playing, Arthur. There's no harm in that, right?"

"Wrong. Not only did you bring this girl into the garrison, you proceeded to shoot rocks at Roman soldiers, and there is no excuse for _that_." Dayn wanted to tell him that the fact that they were Romans was excuse enough, but he didn't think Arthur would agree with him.

"So, what do you want me to do, apologize?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, because I know as well as you that your apology would mean nothing. Instead, you'll be mucking out stalls tomorrow morning."

"What! Arthur, it was only a joke! I didn't hurt anybody," he argued.

"No? Tell that to the soldier who bears bruises all over his neck and shoulders from your stones. As for bringing the girl into the garrison, I don't suppose I have to tell you that it best not happen again."

"No, Arthur," Dayn said, looking down at his feet. "Jillian didn't get into trouble, did she? I promised her she wouldn't."

"Is that her name?" Arthur said with a kind smile. "Well, to answer your question, Jillian is in no trouble. Someone saw the two of you running through the alleys of the garrison, and while he recognized you, the girl's attire caught his eye. A small girl inside the walls was something of a mystery that he thought I should be aware of."

"Who told?"

"You don't need to know. I don't think you can afford more trouble at the present. Now go on to bed, you have an early day ahead of you."

"When I finish cleaning out the stalls tomorrow, does that mean I can go?" Arthur nodded his acquiescence, and Dayn smiled. At least, he had a chance of salvaging the next day for something besides clearing horse dung from the stables.

* * *

As soon as Dayn finished, he shot out of the stables, and took off for the pond at the edge of the village. He could have taken a bath, but he didn't want to waste what was left of the afternoon to bother with bathing. _Besides, the pond works well enough, and it's like swimming instead of bathing._ He climbed up onto the bank, and flopped down in the grass to dry off. 

"Hello, Dayn!" He looked up and spotted Jillian running towards him with a smile. _Lucky thing I didn't take my breeches off._

"Oh, hey," he said dully.

"What's the matter?" she asked, tucking her ankles underneath her as she sat down beside him.

"You got me in trouble yesterday—someone saw us."

"_I_ got you in trouble? That was your idea to go into the garrison, not mine, remember? I did try to talk you out of it, but you didn't listen." Dayn gave her an annoyed look before looking back at the pond. _Girls are a nuisance, and completely useless. _

"We can still have fun, can't we?" she asked. "We don't have to go in the garrison. We can play out here," she said hopefully.

"I don't think I can," he said gruffly.

"Why not?"

"Because I have to practice with my sword."

"How come?"

"Because, Jillian, I have to be good at it. Arthur says I'll get my real sword in a few years, when I'm older. And he said that Galahad could have his next year, when he's thirteen. So that means that I can have mine when _I_ turn thirteen, too. I have to practice so that I'll be really good when I'm thirteen. You wanna know a secret?"

She nodded, leaning forward excitedly and he glanced around before he leaned forward as well. "Truth is, I'm already better than Galahad, even though he's older than me."

"Maybe Arthur will let you have your sword sooner, then," Jillian offered with a shrug.

"I hope so."

"Couldn't we play now, and you could practice later?"

Looking at her hopeful face, Dayn wished he was meaner and could tell her no. But he couldn't, and a part of him didn't really want to tell her no.

"Alright, but only for a bit."

* * *

The next day found Dayn squatting on the ground handling one of the rocks that Jillian had found for him the day before, his fingers sliding reverently over the cold stone. Jillian was busy helping her mother today, so Dayn was on his own for once, for it seemed as though in the waning summer heat, no one thought it necessary to watch Dayn. Any other time, Dayn might have relished the solitude and privacy, but today, it just seemed lonely. 

"Dayn, I need a favor." Dayn looked up to see Lancelot standing beside him with a hopeful expression on his face. Pocketing the rock before Lancelot asked what it was for, Dayn came to his feet, and gazed suspiciously at Lancelot.

"What sort of favor?" he asked, his eyes narrowed warily.

"The sort I think only you can do for me. It requires your, shall we say, special touch."

"So what is it already?" Dayn asked impatiently, never one to beat around the bush.

Well, you know that Arthur's been watching me ever since that little incident with that Roman's wife, and well…I need a little time away from Arthur's all-seeing eyes. See, there's this girl…"

"You want me to get her to leave you alone?"

"No, Dayn, I want you to distract Arthur for me," Lancelot said, his tone exasperated as he ran a hand through his hair in aggravation.

"Why?" Dayn asked, staring up at him with confused eyes.

"Because I'd like to…well, get to know her better," he said furtively.

"Why would you want to do something like that?" Dayn asked incredulously.

"You have to see this girl, Dayn—she's as lovely as anything you've ever laid eyes upon."

"Girls aren't lovely, Lance, they're troublesome and they ruin everything," Dayn replied knowingly, thinking of all the mischief that had been ruined by Vanora over the past year.

"Yes, well, what does an eleven year old boy know about women?" Lancelot said, casting a rather haughty look at Dayn. "Look, come with me. I'll show you," Lancelot said confidently, grabbing Dayn and hurrying for a nearby tavern. Not given much choice, Dayn followed Lancelot reluctantly through a series of twists and turns before they came to a stop at the corner of a familiar tavern.

"Hey, this is where Vanora works."

"Now, look, I've got to sneak back in before Arthur notices that I'm gone. He even followed me into the tavern to keep an eye on me. In a moment, you can come in as though you're just looking for one of us, alright?"

"Arthur's actually in the tavern? I'm impressed, Lance--what did you and that Roman's wife do for Arthur to actually go into the tavern? He never goes in the tavern with us," Dayn said in amazement, awestruck that Lancelot was capable of causing the sort of trouble that brought Arthur's watchful gaze down on him. Usually, it was only Caderyn, Gawain, or Dayn himself, that could create that type of trouble.

"Dayn, focus here," Lancelot said impatiently. "Now are you with me?"

"Wait, if you snuck out just now, then why don't you just sneak away to see that stupid girl instead of getting me to distract Arthur?"

"Because he'll notice if I'm gone for more than a few moments, Dayn, and he'll catch me before I get very far. That's where you come in. Just keep him from noticing that I'm missing for a bit. Then just hide outside my quarters and keep watch for me. All you have to do is whistle if you see Arthur coming so that I have time to get rid of the girl. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, alright," Dayn grumbled, and with an appreciative grin, Lancelot ruffled Dayn's hair and hurried towards the back of the tavern. "Still don't know why you'd want to risk pissing Arthur off for some girl," Dayn mumbled to himself with disgust.

When Caderyn walked past Lancelot's door several hours later, Dayn was sitting nearby, shooting rocks from his sling indiscriminately, his expression bored. Caderyn spotted him in the shadows and walked closer, curious as to why Dayn was sitting there when he was so obviously bored.

"Dayn, what are you doing?"

"Doing Lancelot a favor."

"Surely you jest," Caderyn exclaimed. "You two can hardly stand being in the same room, so why are you doing him a favor?"

"I dunno. Because that's what families do. And that's what we are, right? A family?"

"Yeah, Dayn, that's right," Caderyn answered thoughtfully, pausing for a moment to reflect on the idea. "So what's this favor you spoke of?"

"I'm being the lookout while Lance bandies about with some girl. I don't understand, Cade. What's so great about women, anyway?"

"Well, Dayn, it's hard to explain. You'll understand someday," he said with a grin, his mind casting back to the woman he'd been with the night before. "And let me just say, that when you do come to understand, you'll know that the wait was well worth it. Women are a gift sent to us from the gods, Dayn, and don't ever forget that. _If that's their idea of a gift, then I'd hate to see their idea of a curse_, Dayn thought flippantly. Caderyn ruffled Dayn's hair, and left to look for trouble, or a woman, whichever he found first, leaving Dayn alone to ponder his words.

Dayn considered for a moment before he shrugged to himself and picked up another rock to place in his sling.

* * *

The next evening, Dayn sat in what was now considered _his_ chair at the knight's favorite tavern, watching with interest as Ingram carved out a shape with a small paring knife. So intent was he on what Ingram was doing that he didn't notice Bors until the large knight suddenly thumped his drink down at the table and plopped into the seat beside him, causing Dayn to jump. 

"Hey, Bors," he said, grinning at the older knight who was already well into his drink.

"Here, boy, have a drink," Bors said happily, handing his cup to Dayn drunkenly.

"Really?" Dayn asked, his face lighting up. He brought the cup to his mouth, about to take a sip when Dagonet came up behind him and took the cup from his hands.

"Aw, Dag, come on, give it back," Dayn complained, frowning up at Dagonet with a look of affront.

"Yeah, Dag, give it to him," Bors said good-naturedly. "We're celebratin' here."

"What are we celebrating, Bors?" Dayn asked, his annoyance with Dagonet forgotten in light of this new information.

"Vanora's pregnant, and it's my babe she's carrying," Bors replied loudly, his chest puffing out with pride at this accomplishment.

"You got her pregnant?" Dayn asked in astonishment. "Why'd you go and do that, Bors? Now you'll never get rid of her," he said shaking his head ruefully. Bors laughed aloud at Dayn's response as he grabbed for another ale from a passing tavern girl.

"You listen to me, boy, when you find a girl worth having, you won't want to get rid of her."

Dayn snorted in disbelief, even as Dagonet quietly congratulated Bors on his impending fatherhood. Knowing he wasn't going to get the drink back, Dayn stood up and headed for towards the door where Caderyn and Tristan were watching a couple of Roman soldiers gamble with Lancelot. Dayn didn't care much for such games, but then, he didn't have anything he was willing to gamble with. His possessions were much too valuable to him to risk losing them in a wager. He stood beside Caderyn, watching each of the men's faces in an attempt to guess at which way their luck was running when he heard a commotion outside, and a familiar voice.

"Well, look at what we've got here," a loud voice said menacingly. "A girl. You know what we do to girls here, don't you?"

"I'm sorry, I was just looking for someone!" Recognizing Jillian's voice, Dayn turned and ran outside to see what was happening.

"Well you found someone," a Roman soldier leered at her, his hand grasping her arm tightly.

"Leave her alone," Dayn said, an eerie calm descending over him.

"Or what?"

Dayn ran at the Roman at full speed, slamming into him with enough force to push him back and loosen his hold on Jillian, who took advantage of the slackening grip to pull away.

"Run, Jilly," Dayn yelled, even as the Roman regained his footing and came at Dayn angrily. With a vicious backhand, the Roman sent Dayn sprawling to the ground, but the blow was enough to ignite Dayn's fury, and the boy let loose with a bloodcurdling yell as he kicked at the soldier's knee from where he lay on the ground. Jillian threw herself at the soldier's other knee, desperately trying to help Dayn the way he'd helped her.

Furious, the man dodged Dayn's kick and slapped Jillian across the face, causing her to fall to the ground with a painful cry. Before Dayn could retaliate, Tristan and Caderyn waded into the fray, having heard the commotion from inside. The two knights made quick work of the Roman, leaving him unconscious within moments. Tristan helped Jillian to her feet, kneeling down in front of her to examine the cut that had opened up at the corner of her mouth, while Caderyn pulled Dayn up.

"Are you alright, Dayn?" he asked, looking at Dayn's bruised cheek, already beginning to swell from the blow the Roman had dealt him.

"I'm fine," Dayn said impatiently, shrugging Caderyn's hand off his shoulder as he looked over at Jillian. "Did he hurt her?"

"What is the meaning of this?" At the sound of Arthur's voice, Caderyn and Tristan both straightened, turning to face their commander, who looked none too happy with them at the moment. "Caderyn, what have you done, now?"

"That Roman bastard was hurting Dayn and his friend, Arthur," Caderyn said angrily, aggravated by the accusation in Arthur's tone. "I didn't start this fray, I only helped finish it."

"Dayn, I thought we discussed the presence of this girl in the garrison," Arthur said, turning his stern gaze on Dayn.

"It was my fault," Jillian said softly, peering around Tristan with frightened eyes. "I was looking for Dayn. He didn't know I was coming." Arthur's gaze softened as his eyes fell on her shaking form, and he lowered his voice as he spoke.

"You know the garrison is no place for children."

"Yes, sir."

"So I trust that I will not see you within the garrison walls again?" Arthur asked. Jillian nodded, looking down at her feet even as her tears dried on her cheeks. "The hour grows late, and you should return to the village," he finished, holding a handkerchief out for Jillian to use.

The young girl took the offered handkerchief with a teary smile, holding it to the bleeding cut on her mouth as Arthur turned to Tristan. "See her home safely, Tristan." The silent scout nodded without a word, holding out his arm for Jillian.

"Bye, Dayn," Jillian whispered, stepping forward to kiss Dayn's cheek before turning quickly on her heel to go with Tristan back to the village.

"Caderyn, I leave Dayn in your hands. See to it that he gets cleaned up," Arthur finished, trusting that Caderyn would take care of things. Without a backward glance, Arthur headed back to his quarters to retire for the evening.

As Caderyn and Dayn watched Tristan walk her back to the village, Caderyn turned to Dayn with a grin on his face, his eyes alight with amusement.

"What?" Dayn asked, confused.

"Now, you understand."

"Understand what, Cade?"

"About the value of a woman. Why they're worth protecting," he said with a smile.

"Jilly's not a woman, Cade. She's a girl," Dayn retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"Dayn, a girl is just a woman waiting to happen. A man pays a high price to have a woman--they're too valuable to risk losing, girl or not."

"You mean like how some men pay the women outside the taverns?" he asked, referring to the prostitutes that frequently lingered outside.

"No, Dayn," Caderyn said in exasperation. "That's different. That's a business deal, nothing more. It's when you care about a woman that you'll risk it all to keep them safe. It's why you helped your girl even though it meant risking injury to yourself."

"Well, I couldn't just let her get hurt, could I?" Dayn exclaimed, throwing his hands up into the air wildly, amazed at Caderyn's audacity._ To think I'd let something happen to her. Caderyn's making more out of this than there is. I just saw she was in trouble, that's all._

"Exactly. You've made my point for me," Caderyn said slyly, and for a moment, Dayn wondered if Caderyn had heard his thoughts. "Come, let's get you cleaned up," the knight said with a friendly smile, putting his arm around Dayn in a friendly manner.

Dayn didn't really understand Caderyn's words that night, but he stored them away in his memory, content to come back to them later. No doubt it was one of those things that he would understand better when he was older. Time enough then to reexamine Caderyn's explanation. _Sounds like women are more a nuisance than a blessing,_ he thought with a shrug.

But then, what does an eleven year old boy know about women?

* * *

A/N: Ok, so this isn't my best chapter, in my opinion, so think of it as a bridge to the next chapter, which I'm greatly looking forward to writing. Hope you'll still review for me, even if it isn't so great! 

**Artemis Darkclaw**: You're right about Dayn's hatred of Rome being a bomb ready to explode, and though it wasn't so obvious in this chapter, it's going to heat up in the next chapter, so I hope you stick around! Oh, and thanks for explaining that bit about the cases for me—I appreciate it! You sound really knowledgeable with that sort of thing. I've always been terrible with that—struggled with cases through my two semesters of college German. I usually just guessed which case to use, and never really figured out what I was doing. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing!

**Camreyn**: As always, thanks for being my beta. I tried to address each of the things you pointed out, but there really wasn't anything I could do about the scene you thought was a bit long—I tried, but I couldn't find a way to fix it. Sorry. Oh, and that bit about Arthur breaking his fast from the last chapter, it's just an old fashioned way of saying he was going to eat breakfast. A fast, in this sense, means to "not eat," so when one breaks a fast, it simply means to eat after a long abstention from food. Hope that makes sense. Anyways, thanks for reviewing for me!

**chiefhow**: You're right about Dayn's bad luck—people do tend to die on him. And just think, I've still got about seven or eight knights that have to die off before "The Peril of Secrets." I'll probably just kill some of them "off-stage," so to speak. Oh well. But look on the bright side, at least no one died in this chapter! Thanks for reviewing for me!

**MissBubbles**: The problem is, Lance and Dayn are just so similar in some ways, that they have difficulty getting along. They both have rather strong personalities, which leads to definite clashing. Oh, the reason Aldric didn't pursue the matter of Dayn wishing Lance was dead instead is because the comment was one of those that can either be taken seriously or humorously. Aldric simply assumed Dayn was joking, in a sense. Besides, I just liked ending the chapter that way . Anyways, thanks for the review!

**ModestySparrow9**: I'm glad you find Dayn as cute as I do—in some ways, he's as endearing as Hummingbird for me. Granted, he sort of grows out of his cuteness as he becomes more bloodthirsty, but we can't all be as sweet as Hummingbird, now can we? Also, thanks for finding the last sentence of Chapter 5 funny—I wasn't sure everyone would get the humor of it. Anyways, thanks for always reviewing for me! It means a lot!

**Daggend**: I was incredibly touched that you cried at the last chapter—is that a good thing or a bad thing, though? LOL. And thanks for the compliment—very flattering! Hope this chapter lightened things up a bit. There's a rough road ahead for Dayn in the coming chapter, but I don't think it's the sort to make you cry. Anyways, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you liked this one as well. Thanks for the review!


	7. Chapter 7: Coming of Age

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

A/N: At last, the chapter that I've been waiting to write for so long! This chapter has a couple of things going on at once, but I couldn't see a way to separate them without having two really short chapters. I decided to leave them as one long chapter instead, so I apologize if it's lacking cohesion. Also, as usual, I haven't used a beta for this one, so I apologize for any mistakes as well.

Chapter 7: Coming of Age

"Arthur." Arthur looked up from a map he was examining with Tristan to see Dayn looking at him nervously from his seat across the table. The knights had just finished breakfast and, while some of the younger knights had left, a majority of them remained at the table, polishing off the last of the fruit and ale as they talked amongst themselves. Arthur noticed Dayn biting his lip nervously and he frowned, feeling an answering sense of misgiving at Dayn's expression.

"Dayn, I sincerely hope you're not about to warn me that an angry Roman is going to charge in here and demand restitution for damages you've caused. It's entirely too early in the day for that," Arthur said seriously. The others who remained at the table—Tristan, Bors, Roland, Gawain, Dagonet, Ingram, Aldric, Caderyn, and Lancelot—chuckled at Arthur's reply, most of them half-listening to the conversation between their commander and the youngest of them while still managing to continue their own conversations.

"Um, no, that's not it," Dayn answered him, fidgeting in his seat as he garnered his courage to speak.

"Then, what is it?" Arthur asked distractedly as he turned his attention back to the map.

"Well, I was wondering…when can I have my sword? You let Galahad have his when he turned thirteen. I've been thirteen for two weeks now, and well, you haven't said anything…I really want my sword, Arthur," Dayn said imploringly.

Arthur pushed the map away and looked up at his youngest charge with serious eyes. To be honest, he'd been waiting for this conversation for some time—dreading it actually. It came as something of a surprise that Dayn had waited as long as he had.

"I haven't brought it up, Dayn, because I'd like you to wait." The quiet mumbling between the knights stopped, everyone frozen with a mixture of surprise at Arthur's decree and worry at how Dayn would react. Everyone knew the boy wanted nothing more than to finally have a sword to call his own, and now they wondered if the young Sarmatian would be able to handle the news that he would have to wait.

"Wait! Arthur, I've _been_ waiting! Why won't you just give me my sword? You promised me I could have a sword!"

"You're not ready, Dayn."

"What more do you want me to do to prove myself? I can already beat Galahad and Jarek at swordplay—what more do you want from me! I'm ready, I know it!"

"Dayn, it's not your skills that I'm worried about. It's your control, or lack thereof that concerns me," Arthur said calmly, not ruffled by Dayn's temper. "You're reckless, and that can get you hurt or killed. There's a responsibility that comes with carrying a sword, and I'm not convinced that you understand that yet."

"That's not true! You just don't want to give me my sword."

"Dayn, Arthur merely wants to make certain you're ready," Roland said supportively, offering Dayn a friendly smile. But Dayn was having none of it.

"Shut it, Roland! You made a promise," he said, turning back to Arthur, "and now you want to break it—you're no better than any other Roman," he sneered.

"This is not about keeping my word, Dayn. You will have your sword, just as I promised, when I think you are ready for the responsibility it entails."

Dayn stared at him, fury filling his gaze as his vision started to turn red, and Dagonet eased out of his chair, preparing to step in if Dayn lost his temper. Out of the corner of his eye, Dagonet could see Aldric doing the same, for both men were well aware of Dayn's ire when he was riled, and neither wanted things to get out of hand.

"I'm sorry, Dayn. Perhaps next year," Arthur said softly, not unkindly. Dayn shook his head, not wanting to hear Arthur's excuses or his meaningless promises.

"You can keep your promises, Arthur—I don't want your empty words…I don't need anything from you," he said coldly, shoving his chair aside and striding out the door, angrily lashing out at a vase that rested on a nearby pedestal on his way out. The vase hit the floor, exploding in a shower of broken pottery as Dayn stormed out of the room.

The knights silently watched him go, each of them sharing looks of concern before Dagonet looked to Arthur.

"I think one of us should go after him, Arthur. No telling how much damage he'll do when his temper snaps."

"And I think we all know how likely that is," Lancelot added, aiming a pointed look at the broken shards of the vase on the floor.

"Go after him, Dagonet."

* * *

Dayn slammed open the door to the quarters he shared with the younger knights, rage warring with hurt inside him at this betrayal. 

"Hey, Dayn, did you get your sword?" Galahad asked excitedly as he saw Dayn come through the door.

Not trusting himself to speak, Dayn shook his head, casting his eyes down at floor as he fought the turmoil in his heart.

"What's the matter, Dayn? Did Arthur say no?" Strephon sneered, eliciting laughter from Jarek and Uwain, even as Galahad and Cei looked on in alarm.

Dayn's vision went red, and with a blood-curdling yell, he lunged at the older boy, knocking him into the wall. Strephon hit the wall headfirst with a thud, falling limply to the floor. Jarek and Uwain started forward, but at that moment, Dagonet ran in with Bors at his heels. Bors shoved the others away as Dagonet focused on grabbing Dayn. The wiry thirteen-year-old fought his grasp, kicking and fighting to break Dagonet's hold, and Dagonet was struggling to maintain his grip.

"Dammit, boy, stop fighting me or we're going to have to lock you up somewhere," he grunted, his arms constricting around Dayn's chest. _If I can cut off enough of his air, then mayhap he'll calm down a bit,_ Dagonet thought, hoping they wouldn't have to resort to locking Dayn in the garrison prison again. Having done that once, he didn't think any of them were too eager to do so again.

"LET GO!" Dayn yelled, even as his gasped for air. He stopped fighting as he labored to pull air into his lungs. Dagonet loosened his hold somewhat, knowing that if Dayn was lucid enough to speak, then he was capable of controlling himself again. _Of course, that's assuming he _wants_ to control himself,_ Dagonet thought grimly, knowing well that the depths of Dayn's rage ran deep.

Dayn jerked out of Dagonet's grip, and picked up a small stool off the floor and slammed it into a post, feeling the wood shatter into pieces before he threw what was left of it to the floor. Having released some of his anger, he no longer wished to be around the others, where they could stare at him, knowing he had failed to get his sword. He headed for the stables, ignoring the sounds of Dagonet and Bors calling him back.

Anger and hurt warred in his heart, and Dayn bit his lip, too ashamed to look for Jillian even though he desperately wanted to talk to her. _I can't tell her that Arthur said I wasn't ready—I can't. She'll think I'm weak. _He'd looked forward to getting his sword for so long, and now everything was ruined.

_Arthur lied to me. He said I'd get my sword, and now he won't give it to me. And the others…They've betrayed me, all of them. Even Caderyn. _Reaching the stables, he climbed up into the rafters, nestling into a dark corner the same way he'd always done. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs, burying his face in his arms as he struggled not to give into the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes.

There he remained, until the sun began to set, thickening the shadows in the stables until darkness settled around him. And still he wasn't ready to leave. _How can I face them when I don't have my sword and they all know why? They'll think I'm weak. But then, they must already think I'm weak, because they let Arthur say I wasn't ready, and none of them argued with him. _Pain squeezed his heart, and Dayn felt the ache in his chest as he fought to control the hurt and betrayal he was feeling.

"Dayn?" At the sound of Caderyn's voice, Dayn lifted his head, peering down to see Caderyn staring back up at him. "Come on down, Dayn, it's late." Dayn wanted to stay in the rafters, but he couldn't find it in him to argue. Brokenhearted, he slowly climbed down, refusing to look Caderyn in the eye as he walked past. Caderyn attempted to put his arm over Dayn's shoulder in a comforting manner, but Dayn shrugged him off, walking silently ahead of him, his posture one of utter dejection.

"Dayn, you'll get your sword one day," Caderyn called after him, honestly trying to cheer him up. But Dayn shook his head, not responding as he trudged towards his bed. Caderyn stopped, staring after him sympathetically as he watched Dayn slowly make his way to his quarters. Dagonet appeared behind Caderyn, and the younger knight cast a look over his shoulder at him before turning back to watch Dayn once more.

"What do you think? Is he alright?"

"I'm not sure, Dag. That sword is all he's wanted for so long, and now that Arthur's said he can't have it yet…I just don't know."

* * *

The following afternoon, Dayn finally made an appearance at the table for the first time since Arthur's decree, and he sat down without a word, stoically ignoring the silence that had fallen when he'd entered the room. He reached across Dagonet's plate for the bowl of fruit that sat nearby, refusing to acknowledge anyone as he pulled out a clump of grapes. 

After a few tense moments, the others quietly began to eat once more, each of them waiting for someone else to break the awkward silence that had filled the room. Most of them were waiting for some sign of trouble, watching Dayn with wary eyes as they ate.

"Dayn, you didn't show for your sparring lesson with Lancelot this morning. Why not?" Arthur asked as Dayn silently plucked the grapes from the stem he held.

"Because there's no reason to," Dayn answered, narrowing a cold look at Arthur.

"Really? And why is that?"

"Come, Arthur, let's not pretend anymore. We all know you're not going to give me my sword, so why waste my time?"

"Dayn, perhaps you would do better to practice rather than blame Arthur for your lack of control," Lancelot said pointedly.

"And perhaps you would do better to stay out of it, Lancelot," Dayn replied angrily, feeling his face heat up. He looked around the table at each of the knights, wishing that someone, anyone, would come to his defense. But each of the knights dropped their eyes back to their plates, silently concurring with Lancelot's assessment.

Dayn dropped the grapes back down on his plate and came to his feet, feeling hollow inside.

"Dayn, sit down and finish eating," Arthur said with a sigh. "You and I can discuss this later."

"You know, Arthur, if you never intended to give me my sword, then you shouldn't have given me hope. It was wrong of you." He turned his back on them and walked out as quietly as he'd come in, leaving a stunned silence behind him.

"Arthur, somehow I get the feeling that this little problem isn't going away," Lancelot said dryly.

"That's because this goes beyond a mere sword," Caderyn cut in.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, turning a questioningly look on Caderyn.

"Think about it, Arthur—Dayn is angry, yes. But it's more than that. I think we've hurt him."

"What mean you, Caderyn?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, think about it—by not giving him a sword, you've all but said that he's not good enough. That he's somehow less because of it."

"Caderyn, that was not my intention. He's young, and his control simply isn't what it needs to be for him to carry a sword."

"Yes, well, I don't think he understands it that way. And I think he's hurt that we didn't speak up for him."

"Speak up for him?" Lancelot asked. "Why should we have spoken for him? Arthur's right about him not being ready, Caderyn," he finished.

"Yes, but we're all he has, Lance. None of us said a word in his favor, and I think he feels like he can't count on us. He feels inferior, and by not speaking up for him, we implied that we feel the same way about him."

"Gods, we need to sit him down and talk to him," Aldric said, rubbing his eyes wearily. "If he thinks that, no wonder he's angry at all of us."

"Don't you think you're assuming a bit much there, Caderyn? It's a mere sword," Ingram pointed out defensively. "I think you're placing more importance on it than there is. Dayn is hot-headed—we all know that. Of course he's angry when something doesn't happen the way he expects. This will pass just like it always does."

"Just keep telling yourself that, Ingram. Wait and see," Caderyn replied confidently.

"Arthur, the fact of the matter is," Bors began, "a lot of us are hot-tempered, but that didn't stop us from getting our swords. We've all been known to get a bit carried away when we're angry. So why is Dayn any different?"

"Because, Bors, none of you suffers from battle madness. You've all seen how he responds in sparring exercises—if he loses his temper, he loses complete control over himself, and it's all but impossible to reach him. Now can you imagine him in actual combat? Right now, I have my hands full trying to keep Dayn from fighting, because the slightest insult can set him off. If the merest of offenses can spur him to fight, then what do you think he'd do with a sword in his hands? I don't want that on my conscience, Bors. Dayn must wait."

Bors couldn't really argue with Arthur, because he knew as well as the others that everything Arthur said was true. He fell silent, and grabbed for the ale in front of him, pouring a healthy amount into his cup. _I need a drink. Anything so that I don't have to come up with a solution to this._

"So what do we do?" Aldric asked, bracing his arms on the table as he leaned forward.

"Teach him control," Arthur said simply.

"Oh, like it's that simple," Lancelot said sarcastically. "And just how are we supposed to do that?" Lancelot asked. "He never listens, and he scorns almost everything I tell him."

"Spend time with him, Lancelot, and set an example for him. He learns from watching us, and if he sees you controlling your own temper, then perhaps he will emulate you," Arthur replied. Everyone's eyes went to Lancelot at Arthur's suggestion, most of them trying not to laugh at the thought. Lance had a bit of a temper himself, and it was a well known fact that he didn't always do the best job of controlling it.

"Arthur, there are days when I loathe you," Lancelot said dryly, his mind on the future torment that spending time with Dayn would no doubt produce.

"All of us need to make an effort to spend time with Dayn—he needs us to be there for him," Caderyn said slowly.

"We're all going to the tavern later this evening—get him to come along," Bors offered. Everyone nodded their agreement, not knowing that the evening would bring with it a whole mess of trouble.

* * *

The evening began like any other. Caderyn and Gawain managed to convince Dayn that they sincerely wanted him to join them all at the tavern, and he reluctantly agreed to go. 

"Dayn, we know you're upset about the sword," Gawain said quietly as they sat down at the table of their favorite tavern with the other knights, "but we'll help you."

"Yeah, we'll make sure you get your sword. And think of it—if you keep practicing in the meantime, you'll get even better than you already are," Caderyn offered with a smile.

"And the better you get, the less reason Arthur will have for keeping you from your sword," Gawain added.

"Dayn, I know for certain that Arthur is going to give you a sword," Tristan spoke up quietly.

"How do you know?"

"Arthur already has your sword made. I saw it."

"He showed it to you?"

"No. But I'm good at getting into places I'm not meant to," he replied, pulling a small knife from his pocket to peel an apple.

"What did it look like?" Dayn asked, perking up a bit at the thought of his sword.

"You'll just have to wait and see."

"You know, Tristan, you're good at sneaking around and all…if you wanted to sneak in and get my sword for me, you could do it," Dayn hinted.

"No." Dayn didn't argue, knowing it would be futile to argue. No one argued with Tristan, because nothing ever came of it.

With a sigh, Dayn fell silent, his momentary hopes dashed despite having his faith in his fellow Sarmatians renewed.

The other knights relaxed and began to fall into their usual sport of drinking and wenching, paying little attention to Dayn. The younger Sarmatian didn't really mind the inattention though, as he was caught up in his own thoughts. Hearing the door open, he looked up, and he suddenly felt as though he'd been doused with frigid water.

A cold rage welled up inside him, so different than the usual hot flood of anger that he was used to. He watched a trio of Romans take seats at a table near the far wall, his eyes on the last one to sit down. As they sat around the table, laughing and flirting with the tavern maids, Dayn felt a strange sort of detachment, as though the rage was not his own, and he slowly settled in to wait. For hours, he watched them, his eyes never leaving the trio as they started to get drunk. _Now,_ a voice seemed to whisper to him, the word reverberating in his mind. He slowly turned to look at Caderyn.

"Caderyn, can I borrow your dagger? Just for a moment."

Perhaps if it been one of the others that he'd asked, he would not have had such an easy time of it. But it was Caderyn, and Caderyn was drunk enough that he wasn't inclined to think the matter through.

"Sure, Dayn," he said good-naturedly, his words slurring a bit as he reached for the dagger at his waist. Dayn took the dagger with a smile, sliding the dagger from the scabbard, feeling the cold steel rest comfortingly against his fingers. He slowly slid back from the table, coming to his feet resolutely as he stared at the Romans for a long moment.

None of the Romans noticed as Dayn came to stand behind them, or at least, none of them noticed until Dayn grabbed the one he'd been watching by the hair, jerking the man's head back. He slid the dagger up to the Roman's throat, preempting any struggles, even as the others stilled, watching him lean forward to whisper into their comrade's ear.

"Hello, Claudius," Dayn murmured, his voice deceptively friendly. "It's been a long time."

"What's wrong with you, boy? Are you daft?" one of the other Romans asked in bewilderment. Dayn ignored him, his eyes remaining on the man he held at knifepoint.

"If you slay me, my companions will see you dead," Claudius warned him, hoping the threat would be enough to stay Dayn's hand. He knew well enough that he was just drunk enough to have a hard time maintaining his balance, and the presence of the dagger was enough to put the odds in his younger opponent's favor. "Think on it, boy," he urged, even as Dayn tightened his grip, refusing to hear him.

No one had noticed that Dayn had left the table until Tristan glanced up to see Dayn's seat empty. His eyes scanned the room, finding Dayn immediately, and Tristan suddenly reached out and grabbed Lancelot.

"What's he doing?" he asked, lifting his chin in Dayn's direction. Lancelot turned, his eyes widening as he watched Dayn approach one of the Romans from behind.

"Damn it, Dayn, no!" Lancelot called, but his voice hardly carried over the noise of the tavern. The other knights looked up, following Lancelot's gaze to where Dayn stood, and most of them came to their feet as they watched in a mixture of bewilderment and horror. Lancelot started forward, only to be pulled back by Tristan, who shook his head.

"No, Lancelot. He must decide for himself."

"Decide what?"

"Whether to make the kill or not. We all have to make that choice—to kill or not—and Dayn's moment has come."

"Are we going to let him do this? He's far too young to make that choice, Lancelot," Aldric said quietly.

"Yes, I know. But Tristan's right. The moment is here, and we must stand aside and let him choose." And so they waited, all of the Sarmatians, to see what choice the youngest one of them would make.

"Five years ago, you killed my brother," Dayn was saying softly in the man's ear. "Do you remember? You laughed then. Well who's laughing now?" Dayn said coldly.

Without waiting for an answer, he slid the dagger across the man's throat, slicing neatly through his windpipe. Dayn stepped back, watching with indifferent eyes as the Roman fell to the floor, vainly trying to breathe. There was no movement as everyone stared, entranced, at the Roman who was choking on his own blood. Dayn remained there, unmoving, until the man finally stilled. He wiped the blade on the man's tunic before calmly walking back to where the knights stood silently.

"My thanks, Caderyn," Dayn said, handing the blade back. He walked past them all, and out the door without looking back.

"Tristan, we take care of the others tonight," Lancelot murmured, looking at the remaining two Romans who were beginning to snap out of their stupor, murderous intent in their eyes. "No one can know of this," he said, looking each of the others in the eye before turning to Aldric. "Aldric, take Caderyn and Gawain and get rid of the Roman."

As the older knight led Caderyn and Gawain away, Lancelot and Tristan made for the two Romans who were hurrying for the door in pursuit of Dayn. The two knights looked at one another, communicating wordlessly—when they got the two Romans out of sight, they'd dispatch them quickly.

Dagonet came to his feet as Lancelot and Tristan disappeared, turning to face the rest of the bar patrons even as Aldric, Caderyn, and Gawain hefted the body up off the floor.

"No one will speak of this!" he yelled, the flames of a nearby fire causing his already imposing figure to seemingly loom over everyone menacingly. He looked every person in the eye, memorizing their features in case he was forced to come looking for them. If any one of them should speak of what had transpired, he would find out. One by one, everyone looked away, unable to meet his gaze, and Dagonet knew for certain that they would never speak of this night. For well they knew that if they did, it would be the last thing they spoke of.

"Arthur can know nothing of this," Dagonet said softly as he turned to the remaining knights. "Jarek, Strephon, Uwain…if one of you speaks of this to Arthur, I'll kill you myself."

"Dayn just killed someone without cause! Why are we protecting him?" Jarek hissed, staring angrily up at Dagonet.

"Because he's one of us, the same as you. And we protect our own."

* * *

A/N: Ok, so I could end the story there, but several of you have mentioned that you would like to see a bit with Orainne. So let me know what you all think—do I end the story now or keep on with a few more chapters? 

**chiefhow**: Ok, so I'm struggling with what I can do with Jillian now that I've created her. She's not really in "Peril of Secrets," which suggests that she's gone by the time Dayn in around 17 years old. The question, then, becomes what do I do with her? Anyways, glad you like the Lancelot exploits—sounds like the title for a fic, doesn't it: "The Exploits of Sir Lancelot." LOL.

**Artemis Darkclaw**: Hey, thanks for the review Artemis. I haven't forgotten Fynncara—I've probably mentioned that several times, but I feel terrible that I haven't gotten a chance to look at the next chapters of your story. I'll do my best to get another few chapters read this week, ok?

**ModestySparrow9**: I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds Dayn cute…of course, his cuteness is fading now, as he gets older. He's really starting to display his more aggressive behavior now. But I love him anyway. LOL.

**Camreyn**: If you read the note I posted above to chiefhow, you'll notice the difficulty that Jillian is posing for me. She was useful in the last chapter, but now I'm sort of stuck with a character that serves no real purpose. I won't use her as competition for Orainne, simply because I don't want her to be a character that will cause strife in a relationship.

**Dagg**: Thanks for the lovely compliment! Hope this chapter was great as well. Let me know what you think!

**MissBubbles**: Ok, so if you liked the "family bit" in the last chapter, I'm guessing that you probably liked the last line in this chapter as well. I'm glad you like the humorous interactions/lines between Lance and Dayn. I have fun coming up with little situations for those two. Anyways, hope you liked the chapter!


	8. Chapter 8: Promises Made

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

A/N: Ok, this chapter picks up right where Chapter 7 left out—not the usual jump in years for this one. Hope you enjoy, and as always, sorry for the long wait!

Chapter 8: Promises Made

"I should have expected this to happen," Lancelot murmured under his breath. "It would serve Dayn right if we left him to deal with the consequences on his own. But no, Dayn loses his temper and we're stuck cleaning up the mess," he said as he jerked his swords out of the impaled Roman's body, letting the body fall to the ground. Tristan ignored Lancelot's complaints as he pulled his own sword free of the second Roman who had set off in pursuit of Dayn.

When Tristan didn't reply, Lancelot glanced up to see the scout kneeling down next to the other Roman whose blood was pooling around him. After insuring that the man was dead, Tristan stood, his eyes meeting Lancelot's in the dark before he turned and began to walk away.

"Tristan, we need to hide the bodies," Lancelot said with a sigh, bending down to lift the Roman he'd killed over his shoulder.

"No. They'll look for them if we do that."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"We leave them where they lie."

"Just leave them here? In plain sight? Tristan, that's madness!"

"It is simply a matter of making it appear as though they fought and killed one another. Romans lose their tempers over drink all the time—no one will think on it. Best of all, no one will come after any of us."

"Well then, how do we make it appear as though we had nothing to do with this?"

"Leave it to me. Just see to it that Dayn gets to bed. We don't need more trouble tonight," he said, jerking his head in the direction of the nearby shadows. Lancelot turned, shocked to see Dayn standing there, his face a mask of cold indifference even as his eyes burned with intensity.

"Handle it, Tristan," Lancelot said softly. He walked toward Dayn, concerned by Dayn's stillness, as the fourteen-year-old was rarely still for long. He threw his arm around Dayn's shoulder, leading him away without any resistance from the teenager.

"Dayn, why did you kill that man?" Lancelot asked him, burning with curiosity.

"Because he deserved it."

"So you knew him then?"

"Yes. His fate was sealed the moment he crossed me."

"When was that?"

"What?"

"When did he cross you?"

"It was years ago."

"Gods, Dayn," Lancelot groaned. "Don't you think that's a bit long to hold a grudge?"

"There are some things that are unforgivable, Lance," he said softly.

"Yes, well, if you had to kill him, you should have waited until you weren't in sight of every patron in the tavern. As it is, we all have to clean up after you to keep you from getting yourself killed. This is exactly why Arthur didn't give you your sword yet—you can't just kill everyone who crosses you, Dayn. Not with your temper."

"And what do you know of it, Lance?" Dayn said hotly, shrugging off Lancelot's arm angrily. "I waited six years for that cur to show his face here again, and I'm not sorry I killed him when I did."

"Have you thought at all about the consequences of what you've done?" Lancelot asked angrily.

"Damn the consequences!" Dayn shouted.

"Could you two try to keep it down a bit?" a voice asked from the darkness. Dayn and Lancelot looked up to see Caderyn hurrying toward them, shaking his head ruefully. "Damn near the whole garrison can hear you yelling out here. Lancelot, I'll see to it that Dayn gets back. Why don't you go ahead?" Recognizing that Caderyn was right to split the two of them up, Lancelot gave a curt nod and turned back to see if Tristan needed any help.

Caderyn and Dayn walked in silence back towards the barracks until they reached the door of the room Dayn shared with some of the others.

"Dayn, listen…Arthur can know nothing of this—do you understand?"

"Why should I hide it?" Dayn sneered. "I didn't do anything that any other man wouldn't do given the circumstances. I'm not ashamed, and I'm not sorry."

"Yes, and that's precisely why you can't tell Arthur. Because he won't understand, Dayn. I know why you killed that man, and I don't fault you for it. But Arthur won't see it that way. Look, he won't suspect you as long as you don't give him reason to. Promise me, Dayn. Promise me you'll say nothing." Dayn stared at Caderyn for a long moment before he finally nodded.

"Very well. For you, Caderyn."

* * *

Dayn waited in bed for Caderyn to leave before throwing his blanket aside and coming to his feet. He waited silently for another moment before grabbing up his cloak once more and pulling on his boots. He left the room and headed for the Wall, not certain what he was doing or even where he was going. He just wanted to get away. His feet carried him away from the garrison and ever closer to the Wall. He stopped when he reached the Wall at the outskirts of the garrison, and he sat down, leaning against a nearby tree. _I wonder if there's a way out, _he vaguely mused. His eyes scanned the Wall, searching for any weaknesses that he could exploit. An hour later, he found it. 

Excitement filled him at the thought of escaping, just for a little while, the eyes of the Romans and his fellow knights. _I can be free…just for a time._ And then, he was over the Wall, running for the tree line in the distance with elation filling his heart. He reached the trees, and suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to climb. Finding a tree with choice limbs, he reached up and grasped a thick limb, pulling himself up easily. He climbed as though he could rise above all the troubles of this world, not stopping until he reached the swaying limbs near the top. He settled himself into the nook of the tree, crossing his arms over his chest, as he stared up into the dark sky.

"I did it, Orren," he whispered, his voice carried away on the wind, and it seemed to Dayn as though, somehow, someway, Orren heard him, and something eased in Dayn's heart. Sleep came over him, and he gave himself up to it easily, wanting the blessed relief that it offered him. And as he slept, he dreamed he was standing in the midst of a forest, and someone was speaking to him…

_"And so you become what I have long prepared you for. You shall be mine, the instrument through which I fight all that oppresses my people. You have done well, Dayn of Sarmatia. Though your path will not be easy, I shall see to it that you have all that you need to drive out my enemies."_

_Dayn wondered distantly who was speaking and he turned to see a beautiful raven-haired woman standing behind him with a cunning smile and calculating eyes. Eyes that were a strange shade of red, Dayn noticed rather curiously, but he wasn't worried. He smiled at her with a mischievous smile of his own, and stepped toward her._

_"I know you," he said softly, quite surprised that he actually did know her, though he didn't know her name or even how he knew her._

_"Yes," she said, her smile intact even as her eyes took on a strange glow. "As I know you."_

_"But how?"_

_"I've been with you since the moment you came to these shores."_

_"I'd remember you if we'd met," Dayn said with a shake of his head._

_"Yes. If we'd met on your plane of existence. But in your realm, I am simply a part of you."_

_"I don't understand."_

_"Understanding isn't necessary."_

_"Why have you come to me now, then?"_

_"I came to judge your readiness and to see if you are worthy."_

_"Like Arthur? Don't bother then, because I already know I'm not," Dayn said bitterly, feeling his face heat with anger._

_"Worry not how a mortal such as that one judges you, Dayn. He's much too placid for my tastes," she said haughtily._

_"Well, he says I can't have my sword because I lack control. He's right--I'm not worthy."_

_"Oh, but you are, Dayn. More than you know. You are more than worthy of the task I will set before you."_

_"What task?"_

_"Never you mind. It is still early for that," she said with a saucy smile. "Soon, though, very soon…"_

_"But you said I was ready," Dayn said, feeling slighted._

_"Ready to be groomed for your fate, not ready to embrace it. Not yet."_

_"Then when will I be ready?"_

_"It is not for me to say. But I dare say it will not be long."_

_"Well, that's good, right? And this task--what is it?"_

_"Perhaps I shall tell you when next we meet."_

_"But…"_

_"It's time for you to wake up now."_

_"Wait--will I see you again the next time I sleep?"_

_"No," she said with a simple shake of her head._

_"But I need to know more--so that I'll be ready for you!" Dayn argued, uncertain why it was so important to him._

_"You won't remember me when you wake," she said with a regretful smile._

_"But why?" he exclaimed._

_"Because the time isn't right. But know this, the day will come when you will prove your worth to me, and it matters not whether your Roman commander gives you a sword or not."_

_"Do you really think so?" he asked, his eyes hopeful._

_"Yes. Until we meet again, Dayn," she said as she began to fade from his sight._

_"Wait!"_

_"Wake up now, Dayn."_

And as the sun rose above the horizon the next day, Dayn opened his eyes, the strange woman from his dream forgotten, and Dayn realized with a mild sense of urgency that he needed to return to the Wall before someone realized he was missing. As he hurried back toward the garrison, he ran feeling better than he had in days.

* * *

The next morning, Arthur looked around the table at all of his knights, his eyes narrowing as he reached the side of the table that held the more volatile or troublesome knights—Caderyn, Dayn, and Lancelot. _Or rather that held Caderyn and Lancelot_, Arthur thought with growing dread, because Daynwas missing. _I suppose I'll have to deal with that in a moment, but first things first._

"There was an incident last night. Two Romans left for dead. It appears as though they killed one another, but I need to know if any of you saw anything," Arthur said, his eyes gazing at Caderyn and Lancelot. While Lancelot had the worst temper of the two, Caderyn was more likely to be at the root of any mischief involving the Romans. Jarek looked as though he was about to speak, but a warning glare from the others quickly stifled him. Luckily, Arthur didn't notice.

"Sorry, Arthur, we were all at the tavern last night. There were a lot of Romans there, and I don't think any of us took notice of who was coming and going," Dagonet said slowly. Arthur nodded, accepting the explanation for what it was before moving on to the next order of business.

"Very well. Aside from that, where is Dayn this morning?"

"He must be sleeping in, Arthur," Caderyn said easily, though his mind was racing, trying to figure out where the youngest knight could be.

"No, I went by to speak with him in his quarters earlier, but he wasn't there," Arthur said.

"Galahad, did you hear Dayn leave early this morning?"

"No, Arthur," Galahad said with a helpless shrug.

"We need to find him. I'm ill at ease when Dayn is out of sight for too long," Arthur said grimly. As Arthur's eyes went to his plate, the knights looked at one another worriedly, their eyes betraying their disquiet.

Lancelot shot a look at Caderyn, his eyes silently asking where Dayn was. Caderyn shook his head ever so slightly, biting his lip nervously. Lancelot cut his eyes toward the door, signaling Caderyn to go look for Dayn.

"Arthur, may I--," Caderyn began, but before he could finish excusing himself from the table, the doors opened and Dayn walked in, looking a bit worse for wear. His clothes were liberally spattered with dirt, and grass stains marred the knees of his breeches.

"You're late, Dayn. Where have you been?" Arthur said amiably.

"Yes, Dayn, tell us. Where have you been?" Lancelot asked somewhat less amiably.

"Out. You needn't worry yourself on my account, Lance," Dayn said curtly.

"Do we have a problem, knights?" Arthur asked, eyeing the antagonism between the two knights.

"I don't know, Lance, do we?" Dayn asked, his eyes narrowing on Lancelot calculatingly. Everyone tensed, waiting to see what would happen. No one had forgotten what had happened last night, and as of that point, Dayn had become completely unpredictable.

"Not this time," Lancelot replied with a sneer. Dayn sat down, pulling his plate forward as he began loading it with food.

_Good to see his appetite hasn't been affected by last night_, Caderyn thought wryly.

"Dayn, I'd like to speak with you about your sword after everyone has eaten," Arthur announced. "I understand that you're upset about it, and I'd like to better explain my reasons for my delay in issuing you your sword."

"Never mind the sword, Arthur. We don't need to speak of it. I'm not angry with you anymore," Dayn said easily, digging into his food eagerly.

Arthur stared at Dayn for a moment skeptically, as did the other knights, and Dayn flashed a carefree smile, amused by their expressions of disbelief.

"Very well, Dayn. As long as you're not upset, I'm willing to let the matter drop."

Dayn smiled at him, nodding before turning back to his food once more. Conversations sprang up around the table, as the knights finally relaxed. But Caderyn continued to eye Dayn out of the corner of his eye as they ate, and as soon as everyone began to leave the table, Caderyn grabbed Dayn by the elbow and steered him toward a corner.

"Dayn, where were you?"

"Out. Don't worry, I didn't kill anyone," Dayn said with a grin.

"Galahad never heard you leave. When did you disappear this morning?"

"I didn't. I disappeared last night," he replied, chuckling.

"Dayn, after I walked you back to your quarters last night, you were asleep as your head hit the pillow."

"No, you just thought I was," he said mysteriously, his eyes alight with amusement. He slid past Caderyn and walked away, leaving Caderyn with more questions than answers.

* * *

A/N: Ok, as always I'm sorry for making everyone wait so long. But I didn't want to just put together a stupid chapter--so I had to sacrifice speed for quality. Anyways, let me know what you think, and I'll try to do better at getting updates out quicker! 

**dmitchell:** So glad you're back to review! I missed hearing from you. Yeah, I think you've got a point about letting Jillian just fade away...I might make mention of her in the next chapter or so--OH, I JUST GOT AN IDEA! Thanks, even though you really don't know the idea yet! Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Miggyrow:** As I was writing my response to dmitchell above, I came up with a plan for Jillian. I'm afraid there's someone else in Caderyn's future, but Jillian will get her happily-ever-after as well. Granted, Jillian will sort of fade from the picture, but who knows? Maybe she'll make a surprise appearance in the sequel. I'm glad you like the prequel so much--it lacksa central plot, but I enjoy coming up with the little incidents that make up this fic. Anyways, thanks for the compliment, and for waiting around so long for me to update. And thanks SO much for reading and reviewing for me!

**Camreyn:** Thanks for all the advice about the story--I think I know what I'm going to do with Jillian now. And as for the knights who are in this fic and not in Peril--I have plans to wrap them up before finishing the story. I guess it's all about loose ends--I don't like having unanswered questions, because I know if it bothers me, then it probably bothers anyone reading the fic as well. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the long wait!

**Dagg:** Have no fear! I am definitely going to go for another chapter or two. I'd like to get right up to the point where Peril starts, but we'll see. Also, I'm glad to know that I'm not the only person who rereads fics. I do that all the time! I'm happy that one of my fics is worthy of being reread! Anyways, thanks for reviewing!

**Artemis Darkclaw:** Yeah, I try to get the "family" stuff in everychapter, because that's what I really want the story to be about...besides the usual Dayn-centered mayhem, that is--hah! I'm glad you sympathized with Dayn about the sword, and yet understood Arthur's reasoning. Arthur's logic, of course, makes more sense than Dayn's, as Dayn is only fourteen...not exactly logical when you add in the perpetual anger-management issues. LOL. Thanks for reviewing for me!

**MissBubbles:** I'm glad you enjoyed Lance's lines in the last chapter--I just get so much amusement from these characters, so it's good that you enjoy the humorous aspect as well. As far as Tristan reassuring Dayn about the sword...I think I know what you mean about liking it and not knowing why...I think it's because Tristan doesn't normally go out of his way to be comforting, but the fact that he was willing to do so for Dayn's sake shows that he really does care. Anyways, thanks for the compliments, and thanks a bunch for reviewing!


	9. Chapter 9: Finding a Purpose

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

A/N: You might recognize parts of one of the scenes here, because parts of it were written about in a flashback scene from "Peril of Secrets." Also, please note that Adima is not my character—she belongs to ModestySparrow9. Thanks for letting me use her again, M! Oh, and I think I got all the mistakes, but if not, I'm sorry!

Chapter 9: Finding a Purpose

Dayn watched from the ramparts as the other knights rode into the courtyard below, noticing immediately that they were one rider short. _Another lost to us,_ he thought as he began to scan the remaining knights, trying to determine who had fallen. It was a task that had become increasingly familiar during the last several years. At 16, Dayn had grown in both height and stature, but as his body had grown, so had his hatred. As more of his brothers had fallen in conflicts with the natives, Dayn found himself more and more bitter towards the plight of the Woads as well as himself and the other Sarmatians.

_What makes the Romans entitled to all that is in this world? They invade every country they come to, taking what isn't theirs from people who did naught to deserve it. _His jaw clenched and he eagerly awaited the setting of the sun, for when darkness fell, he could safely go outside the garrison without anyone the wiser. And when he was free of the garrison, he knew, finding unsuspecting Roman soldiers to prey upon was much easier. Below, the knights had disappeared into the stables, and Dayn turned away, walking down the stone steps, sticking close to the wall as he went to meet the others. As he headed for the stables, he heard a shrill, little voice calling his name from the other side of the barred fence that separated the garrison from the village, and he turned to see and eager, freckled face smiling up at him.

"Dayn, Dayn, my papa's back! I saw him! Are you going to see him, now?"

"Yes, Hummingbird," he told the three-year-old affectionately, approaching the fence and kneeling down to speak with her through the bars of the gated wall. Her baby-fine reddish blond hair hung to her shoulders, escaping the tie that her mother had no doubt placed there with infinite care earlier in the day, and her bright blue eyes were highlighted by the freckles across the bridge of her nose as she stared up at him happily.

"Can I come with you?"

With an indulgent smile, he nodded and Hummingbird squealed with excitement as she ran to the gate to wait for him. He couldn't say why he was so taken with the adoring little girl. She certainly wasn't the first of Bors' children, and she certainly wasn't the last, as Bors seemed to have all intentions of populating the village with his youngsters. Despite being just one of many of Bors' offspring, Hummingbird had a charming personality that was at once both endearing and engaging, and Dayn had been drawn to her almost from the moment she'd been born.

Dayn motioned for the guard at the gate to let the little girl in, and as soon as the gate was open, she ran to him with a happy smile and infectious laughter. He swung her up in his arms and headed for the stables, trying not to dwell on the question of who had not returned.

"Dayn?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I pway wif your sword?" she asked, reaching over his shoulder to finger the hilt of the sword strapped to his back.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because your father wouldn't like it," Dayn replied, thinking that his answer was something of an understatement. _He'd be more likely to kill me_, he thought with a grin.

"Maybe just one time," Hummingbird said cajolingly. "I could just pway wif it a wittle."

"No, Hummingbird," he said lightly. She took the defeat good-naturedly, hugging his neck affectionately as he carried her to her father. "Hummingbird, when we reach the stables, you have to be quiet."

"Why?"

"Because someone didn't return, and the others will be sad," he told her, trying to put it to her in a way that she could understand. _How do you explain death to a three-year-old? How long before she understands that people die, that they go away and don't come back?_ Hummingbird was silent as she tried to figure out what Dayn was telling her.

"Like when Roland didn't come back?"

"Yes."

She was quiet then, understanding in her eyes as she realized what he meant. Dayn steeled himself for the worst as they reached the stables, uncertain who he would find dead when they went in. As he stepped through the doorway with Hummingbird in his arms, the mood was, as he had suspected, somber, the usual boasting and laughter absent.

His eyes quickly searched the room, trying to determine who was present. He sought Caderyn first, who was most like a brother to him, spotting him near the wall as he hung his saddle. Caderyn nodded at him, and Dayn turned to look for Dagonet with earnest eyes. Though he thought of all the knights as his family, Caderyn and Dagonet were closest to his heart, and he worried for them. At first, he didn't see Dagonet, and his throat tightened before Dagonet straightened from where he was kneeling near his horse, checking the mare's hooves.

"Papa!" Hummingbird squealed. She squirmed in Dayn's arms and he set her down, watching her race for Bors' outstretched arms before he turned to Dagonet.

"Who was it this time?" he asked quietly as he came up beside the older man.

"Jarek."

Relief washed through Dayn at the news, glad that it was no one he cared for. He spared a moment to consider whether he should feel guilty about his lack of remorse over Jarek's death, but he found it difficult to feel at all saddened by the loss of his childhood nemesis. The two of them had never settled things between them, neither one willing to forgive the wrongs of so many years before. Actually, Dayn found the apparent sadness of everyone somewhat hypocritical, because he knew that most of the others had not cared for Jarek any more than he had.

"Why is everyone so upset then? It's not as if any of you liked him much," Dayn said callously.

"Don't speak ill of the dead, boy," Aldric said sternly, even as Dagonet slapped Dayn upside the back of his head. Dayn shrugged, stepping away.

"Well, just don't expect me to mourn for him. I'm not going to stand here and pretend that I'm saddened by his loss as all of you are. You can pretend all you want, but I'll have no part in it."

"He's right, you know," Caderyn said quietly as Dayn crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.

"Don't encourage him, Caderyn," Lancelot said harshly, dropping his saddlebags to the floor as he whirled around to face Dayn. "This is why Arthur still won't let you come with us, Dayn—because you show a complete lack of concern for the deaths of others."

"So I should pretend as you do, is that it? Which is worse, Lancelot—to feel nothing or to pretend at feelings you don't have? At least everyone always knows where I stand." And with that, Dayn turned on his heel and silently walked away, having said all that he would on the matter.

* * *

"I trust you'll stay out of trouble, Dayn." 

"What?" Dayn looked up, startled out of his own private musings to see Arthur staring at him expectantly.

"Have you heard nothing I've said?" Arthur said with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"Um…sorry," Dayn replied with a apologetic smile.

"As I was telling the others, we have to ride west to settle some trouble for one of the local landowners, and…"

"If it's such a simple matter, then why can't I come?" Dayn interrupted, his face flushing with indignity.

"Dayn, I'm not going to argue the matter with you. Now, we'll only be gone for a few days, so I'm leaving you to your own devices this time, and as I was saying before, I trust you'll keep out of trouble."

"Fine. I'll stay out of trouble. Until you return, of course," Dayn said easily, smiling sardonically at Arthur before he got up to leave behind the others. While Arthur followed the knights to the stable, Dayn went up to the ramparts, once more watching as everyone left without him. Anger burned inside him as he watched the knights ride out of the garrison, but along with it came a sense of anticipation, as he thought of the freedom afforded to him whenever Arthur and the knights left the garrison. He wrestled with his anger, knowing that he should be thankful for the chance to escape from Arthur's watchful eye, but still nettled that he was being left behind again. He had ceased trying to figure out what Arthur wanted from him, because years of guessing had left him with no answers. His fists clenched tightly as his anger began to get the best of him. _"I'm sixteen years old--plenty old enough to ride with the others, and I'm a good fighter. But that's never enough for Arthur. And Lancelot, stupid Lancelot, is always telling Arthur why I'm not good enough. Well, nevermind all that--I'll find a mission of my own. _

He didn't really have anything specific in mind, but he hurried for the armory nevertheless, taking up his sword and an extra dagger. _With any luck, I'll come across a Roman patrol that I can take on with no one the wiser. _Inside the garrison, he knew, was too risky. He'd almost gotten caught killing a Roman inside the walls that way, and he wasn't too eager to repeat that particular mistake.

Leaving the garrison behind, Dayn ran for the trees, heedless of the risk he was exposing himself to. The escape from Roman control that the forest offered was too good to pass up. He just wanted to leave it all behind--the pain, the helplessness, and the rage. Each day was an ongoing struggle to contain the fury that was a constant part of him. The forest offered him some reprieve from the Romans and all that they represented. I wish you were here, brother, he thought, feeling the familiar ache that filled his heart whenever he thought of Orren. It was the same wish that he made every day, especially when things got to be too much for him to handle. It was Orren who had steadied him, kept his anger from exploding. But now he was gone, and Dayn had lost the only control he had. Though it had been years, he still felt his twin's absence like a knife in his gut._ If only I'd had my skills with a blade then, I could have killed those Romans before they killed Orren._

Reaching the trees, Dayn pushed the brush aside, ignoring the brambles that pulled at him. Finding a tree to his liking, he quickly scaled the lower limbs until he found a niche in the vee of the limbs to sit. With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes and slowly felt his body begin to relax as the tension began to leave his body. The mist that typically engulfed much of the island was pleasantly absent, allowing the sun to penetrate the cloud cover to shine on his face. A sense of peace stole through him for the first time in a very long time. He took a moment to consider if this was how Tristan felt when he looked into the eyes of his hawk.

Girlish laughter reached his ears, shattering the stillness of the air. He opened his eyes and silently slid forward, perching carefully on a large branch. Three girls, two about his own age and one slightly younger, stepped out of the brush, laughing and talking playfully. They were followed by a slightly older boy who looked none too happy about having to trail the three girls._ Woads._ Dayn watched them pass through narrowed eyes, angry that they'd ruined his peace of mind. They stepped out of the treeline and settled down on the grass, the girls still giggling as the boy grumbled to himself.

It was too late for Dayn to find a new tree--they'd hear him--so he stretched out along the branch to wait for them to leave…

Dayn found himself surrounded by a thick darkness and gazed around curiously, the sound of his heartbeat seeming to echo in his ears, the only sound amidst the silence. A blueish-gray mist began to form, wrapping around him and seeming to envelop him. He swept his hand through it, but the mist seemed to cling to him, a thickness that refused to be dissipated.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, turning circles in the mist, before he realized he was no longer alone. There was a presence there in the mist, a presence he knew, but at the same time one he didn't recognize. Suddenly, a path cleared, and there in the clearing stood a raven-haired beauty with somehow familiar black-orbed eyes that glowed with an eerie light.

"_I've seen you before," Dayn said, his voice startlingly loud in the silence._

"_You've seen me many times, Dayn of Sarmatia. But like before, you won't remember when you wake."_

"_So why have you come to me now?"_

"_Because the time when you will begin to fulfill the role I placed upon you so long ago has finally come."_

"_But how? Arthur still won't let me fight," Dayn protested, his eyes confused._

"_Arthur and your fellow Sarmatians follow the commands of their Roman masters--they slay my people, but I forgive them this transgression only because they do not do so by choice. But you, Dayn, you will help save my people from those who would prey upon them. So worry not about your fate, for your time has come."_

"_But if Arthur won't let me fight, how--," he began, but she cut him off with a resolute shake of her head. _

"_Whether or not you fight with him is irrelevant right now, Dayn. Arthur has a destiny of his own to fulfill. His time will come, but in this moment, it is your time. You will not see me again for some time, but the day will come when you will know me when next we meet. Wake up now, Dayn."_

* * *

Orainne smiled at Adima and Guinevere, giggling as they teased Laeg for having to come with them. The two older girls had resented having to take a male along with them, convinced they could take care of themselves, but Orainne was secretly glad that seventeen-year-old Laeg had come along. Oh yes, Adima and Guinevere could look after themselves, but Orainne knew without a doubt that her warrior skills were nothing to speak of. But this knowledge didn't bother her--apprenticing with the healer, she knew, was right for her. 

They stopped in a clearing underneath a grove of large-limbed trees, enjoying the shade that sheltered them from the sun. Sitting down easily, Orainne began to run her hands over the grass, enjoying the feel of the cool blades of grass on her palms. Laeg sat down with his back against a nearby tree trunk as the other two girls sat down to gossip about a boy Guinevere found attractive. Orainne mostly ignored them, content to amuse herself while they gossiped and Laeg sharpened the ax he carried.

A considerable amount of time passed, and Orainne found herself growing pleasantly drowsy, her eyes growing heavy. She had just fallen into sleep when she suddenly heard Laeg call out, and her eyes shot open to see him rush past her, his sword raised to meet the sudden onslaught of a Roman soldier. The Roman dodged, bringing his sword around in a clean arc that sliced deeply into Laeg's chest. Orainne screamed as she watched him fall to the ground, her eyes filling with tears as she stumbled to her feet and ran toward him, heedless of the danger.

"Laeg!" She ripped her cloak off with shaking hands, her mind screaming at her to hurry as she desperately tried to staunch the flow of blood, even as Guenevere and Adima struggled with the Romans who were surrounding them.

Guenevere backed up as two of the Romans came at her, and started to turn away and run when one of them suddenly lunged at her, knocking her to the ground, her forehead making painful contact with a tree trunk behind her. Adima jerked around when Guenevere cried out, but she had little time to spare to help Guenevere as she tried to fight off three Romans of her own.

"Orainne, run!" she called out, hoping that Orainne could go for help while the Romans were paying her no mind. But Orainne was vainly trying to stop the bleeding from Laeg's wounds, and Adima knew with a sinking feeling in her stomach that Orainne hadn't heard. _Goddess, please help us,_ she prayed, even as the three Romans moved in, forcing her backwards.

Without warning, a figure dropped down from a tree by Guenevere, a male about her age, who pulled a sword from the scabbard at his back, crouching down menacingly. Adima fought the sense of despair welling up in her mind at the sight of him, knowing that they were desperately outnumbered and the odds had just gotten worse.

The boy addressed the Romans with a cold smile, and though she did not understand his words, Adima frowned in confusion, knowing that something was not what it seemed.

"Let's even the odds a bit, shall we?" Dayn said icily. As Adima watched, he stepped forward and with a vicious swing, eliminated one of the soldiers who held Guenevere down. As the second soldier turned to face him, the boy thrust his sword into the gap in the side of the Roman's armor, a gap Adima never would have known to look for. As the Roman fell, the soldiers confronting Adima turned, quickly moving to surround the boy, whose eyes narrowed in cold satisfaction.

The newcomer didn't wait for the Romans to make the first move, lunging forward and bringing the flat of his blade down on the head of the Roman in front of him before the Roman could even cry out.

"Let that be a lesson to you—never take off your helm," Dayn told the Roman with a sneer. He grinned maliciously as he turned toward the other two Romans and watched as one of the Woads used the opportunity to pick up the Roman's fallen sword. As the two soldiers moved toward him, she silently moved up behind them. With a mocking salute, Dayn lowered his sword as the girl thrust the sword she held into one Roman's back, driving it deep into him with a grunt. With a leap forward, Dayn easily dispatched the last Roman, cleanly separating the man's head from his neck in one quick swing.

Adima stared at the newcomer distrustfully, even as he met her eyes boldly. With his eyes still locked on hers, he stepped back toward the Roman he'd knocked unconscious. Without taking his eyes off her, he stabbed down with his sword, plunging it deep into the man's chest, killing him instantly. Adima took a step backward, confused as she watched him kneel to wipe his sword clean of his countryman's blood. _Why would a Roman kill one of his own? And if he would kill another Roman, what would he do to one of us? _

She was startled out of her reverie when Orainne suddenly stepped up to the newcomer, laying her hand on his arm, pulling him toward Laeg with pleading eyes. Before Adima could protest, Orainne knelt back down beside Laeg, tears streaking down her face.

"Orainne, what are you doing?"

"Maybe he can help us," she said tearfully. "He's hurt too badly, and I don't know what to do," she sobbed. The newcomer knelt down beside her, and after a quick look, he slowly shook his head, gazing at her with pitying eyes. With her own eyes filling with tears, Adima watched as Orainne threw herself at the boy before she turned away and went to help Guenevere sit up. After assuring herself that Guenevere was alright, she left the other girl sitting against a tree, Adima cautiously approached him as he awkwardly patted Orainne on the back.

"Adima," she said, pointing to herself. "Guenevere," she said pointing towards the tree. "Orainne," she finished, nodding at the girl in his arms. She gazed at him questioningly, hoping he would return the favor and give his name.

"Dayn," he replied.

"Why?" she asked him in her native tongue.

Having lived among the Britons since childhood, Dayn had picked up enough of their language to at least understand what she asked, but he didn't have the vocabulary needed to respond. In lieu of an answer, he shrugged and looked down at Orainne as she stepped back, her eyes still wet. She moved to wipe the tears from her eyes, but her hands were bloodstained and Dayn stopped her with a gentle hand. Lifting the bottom hem of his cape, he wiped the tears from her face, smiling sadly at her as he stepped back.

"Help us carry Laeg?" Adima asked him. Though she was loathe to trust him, she knew they couldn't carry him alone. _Not with Guenevere dizzy from the blow to her head._ _And Orainne is too small to be much help. We don't have any choice—we'll have to hope he's trustworthy. _

Dayn weighed his options, not sure if he should go with them or not. But it was painstakingly clear that the girls couldn't carry him back alone. With a sigh, Dayn nodded and knelt to lift the boy, Laeg. As he slipped his arms underneath Laeg's still form, Orainne slipped the torc off her neck, and placed it around Dayn's.

"For safe passage," she said, though whether or not he understood her, she wasn't sure. He just nodded and hefted Laeg up, slinging him up and over his shoulder as gently as he could to carry him more easily. With a deep breath, he followed the three girls into the forest, hoping that he wasn't making the biggest mistake of his life.

* * *

Though Dayn was of a considerable height and stature for his age, the dead Woad grew heavier and heavier, and he was forced to stop. Sweat dripped from his brow, stinging his eyes as he slowly lowered the Woad to the ground. Ahead of him, the three girls weren't moving fast either, the older—Adima, Dayn recalled—helping the one called Guenevere walk while Orainne kept pace with Dayn, doing her best to help steady Laeg's body and keep it from slipping. As he stopped, Orainne called out to Adima and Guenevere, and the two girls looked back questioningly. 

"I'm sorry—I need to rest for a moment," Dayn said apologetically, even though he knew it was unlikely that they understood him. He sat down on the ground, bracing his back against a tree, his head bent wearily.

Orainne came back and sat with him, frowning sadly at Laeg before looking back up at Dayn.

"We thought we were safe," she told him quietly, her auburn hair falling down to shield her face from him as she looked down. "We didn't think Romans would be so close." Dayn frowned at her words, unable to understand her, and he shrugged helplessly.

The other two girls sat down a considerable distance away, not so trusting of Dayn as Orainne. They stared at him with mistrustful eyes, even as Orainne unquestioningly dropping her head onto his shoulder with absolute trust in him.

"Orainne, what are you doing?" Guenevere whispered harshly to her, even as Dayn's eyes slipped shut for a moment of rest. "He's not one of us!"

"He helped us, Guen."

"But too late to save Laeg. What if it's all some cruel game to him?"

"It's not. He wouldn't do that," Orainne answered. "He would have saved Laeg if he could."

"You can't know that," Guenevere argued, while Adima looked back and forth between the two girls.

"I don't have to know it. I feel it," Orainne said quietly, conviction shining in her eyes as she stared boldly back at Guenevere.

"Maybe we should just run. We can come back for Laeg later," Adima suggested hesitantly. "If he follows us…well, I still have that Roman's sword—I could distract him long enough for two of you to escape."

"No, we can't! We can't leave Laeg here," Orainne protested.

"We could come back for him," Adima told her, the idea growing on her as the plan came to her.

"You do what you like, but I'm staying," Orainne told her firmly.

"So you want to just stay and wait for him to turn on us?" Guenevere asked incredulously.

"He won't do that. He's not like the other Romans."

"How do you know?"

"I just do," Orainne said shortly, smoothing Dayn's hair back from his face. "He's special somehow, and he's going to be mine one day," she murmured, more to herself than the other two girls.

* * *

Dayn sincerely wished he had his hands free as he followed the three girls into the center of the Woad camp. Countless eyes watched him as he knelt and laid Laeg's body down before a small hut. He fingered the hilt of the dagger in his belt, wondering why he'd so foolishly agreed to follow the girls. As he gazed around nervously, a hand slipped into his free hand, and he looked down to see Orainne smiling up at him encouragingly. 

Suddenly, an older, bearded man emerged from the hut, followed by slightly younger man, both of them stepping toward him. Dayn's hand moved to grip the hilt of his sword and started to step back, but Orainne stopped him with a gentle restraining hand on his arm.

"Merlin," she told him softly, gesturing toward the older of the two men, and Dayn's eyes widened at the name, immediately recognizing him for the Woad leader that Arthur and the others had spoken of so often. Merlin came to a standstill in front of him, his dark brown eyes boring into Dayn's gray ones, and Dayn fought the urge to look Away as Merlin seemed to gaze into Dayn's very soul. Finally, Merlin nodded, apparently satisfied with what he saw there.

"At last, the Lady has sent us aid. May you live up to her expectations," he told Dayn in accented Latin. Dayn frowned, unsure of what Merlin was referring to, but forgot all about it as Orainne smiled up at him happily.

"You must prove yourself, Roman," the younger man said, striding forward as Merlin turned away silently.

"I am no Roman," Dayn said hotly. "I am Sarmatian, and I will not be mistaken for one of those Roman curs."

"You follow Artorius," the man murmured, his eyes taking on a calculating gleam. "Very well. If you are no Roman, then prove it—accompany us on an attack we have planned against a Roman patrol."

"I'll slay Romans anytime you wish," Dayn said firmly, knowing deep in his soul that this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.

"Orainne, bring woad—he must be painted," the man said to Orainne in Celtic. With a resolute nod, Orainne hurried away to find the blue woad as the man sized up Dayn with piercing eyes.

"I am Illbrech," the man told him finally.

"Dayn," he replied, sensing that he had just been accepted. Life was about to get very interesting.

* * *

A/N: Well, I finished writing this chapter and had pretty much decided that with my time as limited as it is, I'd be better off ending it now rather than dragging it on for another chapter. But the more I thought about it, I really wanted another chapter, so I'm going to stick around for one last chapter before I let this fic come to a close. 

**dmitchell**: Well, as far as Jillian went, her happily ever after didn't make it into this chapter, and I'm not sure if it will fit into the next, but we'll see. It's possible that I'll do an epilogue at some point, in which case I can include her, but I'll just have to see what time permits. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing for me—I really appreciate it!

**Camreyn**: I'm glad you like the breaks in emotion…I try to use the humor element to keep it real, so to speak. Life wouldn't always be about the high, intense drama. And I do have so much fun with the characters. Between Lance, Cade, and Dayn, I've got plenty of humor to work with. But anyways, thanks for reviewing!

**ArtemisDarkclaw**: I've got to thank you for bringing up the question of Bors' children. I'd completely forgotten about them—I have trouble with time and numbers, so it failed to occur to me that the time had come. LOL. Anyways, I hope I handled the matter alright in this chapter. Thanks for understanding, by the way, about the trouble I'm having with finding a chance to write. It's nice to know that not everyone is highly annoyed because I'm taking so long. Thanks, as always, for taking the time to send reviews, especially when you're feeling as pressed for time as I always am.

**MissBubbles**: I was touched that you think my story is worth the super-long wait you all have to go through. So nice! I'm glad you enjoy my Dayn-Lancelot battle of wills as much as I enjoy writing it. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing!

**ModestySparrow9**: I hope you enjoyed the chapter—as well as my portrayal of Adima. It's been so long since I used her in "Peril," hasn't it? Since I didn't hear back from you concerning my use of her, I assumed it would be okay to use her since it was no different than the last time. Anyways, thanks for letting me use her again, and for reviewing so many chapters. You've been with me since the beginning, so I always look forward to hearing from you. Your reviews always make me smile!

**chiefhow**: Of course Tristan knows everything—he's Tristan! LOL! He seems to me to be one of those types that is always observing and taking things in, and as a scout, I think he would pick up on how to be sneaky when it comes to hiding bodies. I'm glad you liked Dayn's encounter with Nemhain. What did you think about the one in this chapter? I hope I wasn't overdoing it there…oh well.

**wild-vixen**: I'm glad you like the story—thanks for reviewing!


	10. Chapter 10: Divided Loyalties

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, everyone…between moving to a new apartment and working, I haven't had much energy for writing. But I'm back on track now, so hopefully, I can really get moving on my fics.

Chapter 10: Divided Loyalties

"The time has come to prove yourself, Sarmatian."

Dayn glanced at the Woad who had introduced himself as Illbrech as they hid in the shadows, meeting the man's eyes without hesitation, even as the Woad stared at him with barely disguised suspicion.

"Do you doubt me?" Dayn asked him, his eyes alight with amusement.

"I trust no one under Roman authority, and you Sarmatians are scarcely better than your Roman masters."

"Watch and learn, Woad," Dayn replied with a smirk. He moved off into the darkness, brushing past the Woad as he crept closer to the perimeter of the Roman camp before them. They'd been observing a relatively small squadron of Roman soldiers for hours now, watching silent and unseen as the unsuspecting soldiers prepared their camp for the night. Finally, they had all settled, and the camp had at last fallen silent, making the time just right for the Woads to attack. It also provided the perfect opportunity for Dayn to prove himself to the Woads, and he meant to do it well. Though Dayn had killed Roman soldiers before, it had always been lone soldiers; he'd never attacked a group of Romans, and for all intents and purposes, it would be his first actual battle, one he'd been anticipating for a long time.

Slipping over a small outcropping of brush, Dayn immediately dropped to the ground and began to belly-crawl down towards the dying embers of the Romans' campfire, careful not to jar any of the sleeping forms outlined in the fading light. He gripped his dagger in a tight fist, feeling something akin to nervous anticipation well up in him as he scouted out the perimeter. Preferring a more direct manner of attack, he had decided to start from the center and work his way out rather than kill off the soldiers around the perimeter first. _I've never been much for the subtle approach, but if I absolutely have to do this the stealthy way, I'd at least like to increase the odds of it turning into more direct confrontation_, he thought with a grin.

Pushing his nervous energy aside, Dayn darted forward, crouching down beside one of the sleeping men. Nudging the man's sword just out of reach, Dayn started to shift his grip on the dagger in his hand in order to kill the man properly when the soldier suddenly jerked awake, his eyes narrowing as he saw Dayn's cloaked figure stooped down beside him. Thinking quickly, Dayn expertly hid the dagger at his back and crawled up closer the man, assuming a wide-eyed, innocent expression as he flattened to whisper in the man's ear.

"I think we're under attack," he whispered, injecting just the right amount of fear into his voice to sound convincing. The soldier stared up at Dayn in momentary confusion before a look of scorn came over him.

"There's no attack, you stupid boy. It's still as death out here, now get back to your pallet," he said dismissingly, obviously mistaking Dayn for one of the serving lads who accompanied the small squad.

"You've got to believe me, they're attacking!" Dayn whimpered as he fought back a smile, enjoying himself immensely as he played along with the soldier.

"And how would you know?" the man asked patronizingly.

"Well, you see," Dayn began, his voice subtly assuming an icy tone as he lifted his head to stare into the man's eyes, "I'm part of the attack." Catching sight of the blue woad on Dayn's face, the man began to reach for his sword, but didn't quite make it as Dayn stabbed the dagger he'd hidden behind him down into the man's throat. He glanced around to ensure that no one had seen him, before he looked back at the man, shaking his head with mocking regret. "You should have listened to me," he said easily.

He straightened and glanced back, casting a nod toward the shadowed forest as he sheathed his dagger and pulled his sword. As he watched, the Woads began to trickle silently out of the tree-line, and Dayn couldn't help but marvel at their stealth. _Perhaps they could even teach Tristan a few things,_ he thought in awe. As one of the Woads drew closer, Dayn frowned in confusion when he saw the man's eyes widen, gazing past Dayn in alarm.

Dayn looked back over his shoulder and spun just in time to block an upraised sword held by a Roman. The soldier pulled back, whipping his sword around in an arc meant to strike Dayn's side, but Dayn leapt aside at the last moment, and the blade only grazed him. Stepping back to gain his footing, Dayn suddenly felt the warm trickle of blood sliding down his side, and sudden fury exploded in him. With a bellow of rage that was loud enough to rouse the remaining soldiers, Dayn lunged at the unfortunate Roman, driving his sword into the man's chest. Blood spattered onto Dayn's face, but he didn't notice as he turned to meet his next opponent, his sword raised to strike. Years of pent-up anger exploded from the very depths of his soul, and he reveled in it, rejoicing in the sense of freedom he felt as he allowed his wrath to consume him.

His eyes took on a glazed appearance as he poured out his anger in words that had no meaning to him, even as the Woads understood and backed away, allowing Dayn free rein to overcome the remaining Romans.

Finally, Dayn's rage subsided as quickly as it had come, leaving confusion in its wake. Comprehension was slow to return, and all that Dayn truly was aware of were the physical demands of his body. He bent at the waist, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, not really certain why he was so breathless or why his side was burning. He felt tired and weak without knowing why, and he was left to wonder just how much he'd had to drink as he struggled to stand upright. Suddenly noticing the blood that stained his sword and hands, worry set in as he struggled to recall what he'd been doing. He looked up, and seeing the Woads standing around him with grim stares, he slowly began to recall where he was. _But what happened? Why can I not remember?_

"Is all well with you now, Sarmatian?" Illbrech asked, stepping toward Dayn cautiously. Dayn nodded slowly, not certain exactly what Illbrech meant, but as he looked around and beheld the blood-strewn grass and the lifeless bodies around him, he looked up and met Illbrech's gaze with puzzled eyes.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice emerging in a hoarse croak, his throat parched and raw.

"You have proven yourself more than we could have imagined," Illbrech answered softly.

"So I _did_ kill _some_ of them?" Dayn asked hesitantly.

"No. You killed all of them." At Illbrech's words, Dayn stepped backwards, his back hitting a tree as he struggled to comprehend what had happened.

"But there were at least twenty of them…I'm only one knight…and not even fully a knight, yet. That's not possible."

"_You_ underestimate _yourself_, as _we_ underestimated _you_. One of the gods must walk with you, for you are truly a force to be reckoned with, despite your youth. Perhaps you will prove to be the one we've awaited for so long, the one who will free our people from the yoke of Roman rule. Will you join us?"

Dayn straightened once more, lifting his head as he met Illbrech's gaze. Stabbing his sword into the ground, he nodded resolutely.

"Yes."

* * *

As Orainne wrapped a bandage around him to staunch the bleeding from the gash in his side, Dayn watched her with a strange tenderness in his gaze, smiling at how careful she was trying to be.

Orainne smiled up at him then, and he brought his hand up, tenderly cupping her cheek as he smiled back at her gently. After a long moment, she grasped his hand and pulled him to his feet, leading him toward a pile of rough wool blankets in the corner. She motioned for him to lie down, speaking to him softly. Slowly, he did as she asked, repeating her words haltingly, an effort she rewarded with a delighted smile.

_Maybe having Arthur and the others gone for awhile isn't so bad after all, for it would seem that I've found a way to amuse myself. Of course, I probably shouldn't mention my choice of activities to Arthur, though_, he thought with smirk. He could imagine how that conversation would go…_ "Yes, Arthur, while you were gone, I saved some Woad girls, joined up with their army of warriors, and killed a Roman scouting party when I went battle-mad. How was your mission?"_ Laughing aloud, Dayn banished the image and focused on Orainne who had started toying with his hair as she sat by his side.

Slowly, his eyes began to close as he listened to the rise and fall of Orainne's lilting voice as she spoke quietly to him, and without even realizing it, he slipped into a peaceful sleep. And though Dayn was not aware of it, a voice on the wind whispered softly to him.

"_You have done well."_

* * *

Dayn washed the blood off his face and hands in the creek impatiently before vaulting to his feet and running back towards the Wall. He hadn't expected to get another opportunity to go up against the Romans, but when Illbrech had come for him around dawn, he'd eagerly accompanied the blue-painted warriors. Unfortunately, he'd lost track of the time, and now he was racing to get back to the garrison. _If I'm not back before the others return, Arthur will never give me a moment's peace._ He looked down at his blood-stained clothing and winced. _Gods, how do I explain the mess I've made of my tunic? I've got to get back and don a clean one before Arthur sees this--he'll ask too many questions otherwise. _Running at breakneck speed now, Dayn sprinted back over the Wall and hurried toward the barracks.

"Dayn!" At the sound of Caderyn's voice, Dayn skidded to a sudden halt and slowly turned to see Caderyn and Gawain leaning on either side of a pillar, arms crossed as they looked at him, identical grins on their faces. They straightened and walked toward him, circling around him as they sized him up. Subjected to their scrutiny, Dayn could only stand there in painful discomfort as they smirked at him.

"So where've you been, Dayn?" Caderyn asked him, throwing a playful arm over Dayn's shoulder. Dayn stiffened, not sure what to say as he realized that he should have prepared a lie in advance for just this sort of occasion. In truth, he was bursting with excitement, wanting nothing more than to tell Caderyn and Gawain all about his first battle encounters. _But they won't understand, and if they tell the others…what if they never trust me again?_ Dayn realized then, though it pained him to admit it, that he could never tell them the truth. With no other option in mind, he planted a mischievous grin on his face and shrugged carelessly.

"Oh, you know me, Cade—I'm always off looking for trouble," he answered playfully.

"And did you find it?" Gawain asked with an answering grin.

"You could say that," Dayn hedged, looking away with feigned innocence.

"So was it a fight or a woman?" Cade asked as he began to lead Dayn back toward the center of the garrison.

"A bit of both actually," he replied, thinking of Orainne's gentle smile and sparkling eyes.

"Well, from the looks of your tunic, it must have been some fight," Gawain threw in laughingly.

"Or some woman," Caderyn remarked with a grin. The three shared a laugh as they strolled through the garrison.

"So…how long were you waiting for me?" Dayn asked carefully, trying his best not to sound worried.

"Not too long. We searched the entire garrison for you first," Gawain said pointedly, aiming a frown at Dayn.

"Sorry. Didn't know you were looking for me, or I'd have been someplace more convenient for you to find me."

"Yeah, well, Arthur wants to see you," Caderyn said easily.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," Dayn said automatically, his tone becoming immediately defensive as he stopped, pulling away from Caderyn as threw his hands up.

"No, Dayn, it's not like that," Caderyn told him reassuringly. "He's going to let you come with us on our next mission." Dayn's eyes widened with a burst of pride and happiness before he realized with sudden dismay that he was about to have a serious problem. He felt his heart drop as he finally began to consider the ramifications of what his actions meant. At last, it occurred to him that his loyalties were now divided, and he felt torn, uncertain what he was supposed to do.

Even as he put on a smile for Caderyn and Gawain, his heart seemed to drop into his stomach as he pondered his new dilemma. _What happens to my alliance with the Woads when I start riding with the knights against them? _He'd waited for so long for the moment when Arthur would allow him to ride with his brothers, but now that the moment possibly had come, he could only worry about what it meant for his pact with the Woads.

"What's the matter, Dayn? We thought you'd be happy at the prospect of getting to join us," Gawain said questioningly. "You've only been pestering Arthur about the chance since you grew old enough to properly wield your sword. What is it?"

"I'm uh…just not certain that he's actually serious about it, that's all. He always says I'm not ready. How do you know that this time is any different?" Dayn asked, voicing the question with the intention of avoiding the worry that Gawain sensed, only to realize that he meant every word of it.

"Well, despite Lancelot's arguments to the contrary, we're fairly certain that Aldric and Dagonet were able to convince Arthur that you're a capable enough fighter."

"What, and you two didn't speak up for me?" Dayn asked playfully.

"Well, we weren't exactly included in the discussion…" Caderyn said sheepishly.

"We were eavesdropping," Gawain remarked easily.

"But we know that it went in your favor," Caderyn told him earnestly, looking at Gawain for confirmation, both men nodding.

"Oh, but when Arthur tells you the news, act surprised, alright?" Gawain finished.

"Yes, alright, Gawain" Dayn said with a grin. "But you two go on ahead--I need to change my tunic before I go in. I'd rather avoid an interrogation about the bloodstains, if you know what I mean."

"What, you don't want Arthur asking about your illicit activities?" Caderyn asked with a grin. Caderyn would never know the exact truth of his words, as he assumed that Dayn had been fighting with a random soldier in a mild, rough-and-tumble sort of fight, the sort where everyone walked away. Knowing he could do nothing to enlighten Caderyn to the truth, Dayn merely smiled and shrugged helplessly.

Caderyn laughed and dropped his arm from Dayn's shoulder, telling Dayn not to be late as he and Gawain continued on their way to the main hall. For a long moment, Dayn watched them before he finally turned and headed back toward the barracks to exchange his soiled tunic for a fresh one. Time was short, he knew, and with a sudden burst of speed, he began to run. Caderyn was right in advising him not to be late--too many questions would be asked if he didn't hurry.

* * *

Dayn slid into his seat, hoping to escape notice and thus avoid being asked to answer for his whereabouts. On the way to the main hall, he'd pondered Caderyn and Gawain's pronouncement concerning Arthur's intentions, but he found himself skeptical. Despite the assurances of the two knights, Dayn was wary of becoming too hopeful, nor was he sure it was even what he wanted anymore. _How can I fight with the Woads when the time comes for me to fight with my brothers? They've been fighting the Woads for years._ He was still considering it as he began to serve himself from the various platters placed on the table, his arrival having gone unnoticed by the others.

Trying to distract himself from his concerns, Dayn glanced around, hoping to join in on one of the many conversations that had already begun. Unfortunately, it was Lancelot's voice that seemed to carry, and Dayn soon found himself listening as Lancelot recounted a tale to Bors concerning a particularly cunning Woad he'd killed.

As Lancelot told the gory details, Dayn bit his lip as he once again became consumed by the dilemma he was now facing. _What happens when I'm forced to choose?_ There was no question in his mind, of course, of turning against his brothers. _Harming any of them is out of the question, of course, _he thought in absolute resolve. _But the Woads offer me something that my brothers never can—the chance to take revenge against the Romans who wrong us all. Can I give that up so readily?_

"Dayn." Hearing his name, Dayn looked up to see that Arthur staring at him questioningly. _Odd, I never saw him come in_, Dayn thought, wondering how Arthur could have slipped by him unseen.

"Yes, Arthur?" he asked, hoping he hadn't missed anything else while he was lost in thought.

"Have you been practicing with the bow as you were instructed?"

"Um…well, about that, you see, I sort of became distracted…" he hedged, averting his eyes from Arthur's all too knowing gaze.

"So you neglected to practice your skills, then," Arthur said, casting a disappointed look at his youngest knight. "Dayn, how do you expect to improve if you don't practice?"

"Why do I need to use the bow when a sword will suffice?" Dayn retorted.

Arthur sighed and rubbed at his forehead wearily, already starting to feel the headache beginning to pound in his temples.

"Because, Dayn, you never know when you will be called upon to use a skill you don't care for in the heat of battle. It may be necessary."

"Well that's why we have Tristan and Galahad. What's the use in me learning a skill I don't care for when we have such like them who excel at it as well as enjoy it?"

"Dayn, there are times when I despair of you," Arthur said with a weary sigh, unwilling to continue the burgeoning argument. "You'll never learn to wield the bow properly if you neglect it out of dislike."

Lancelot smirked at Arthur's words, but for once, Dayn didn't take offense. The truth was, Dayn could handle a bow just as well as any of them, Tristan and Galahad excluded; he just didn't want to. He much preferred the sword and the ax, up-close and personal weapons, rather than the long range weapons like the bow that Tristan, especially, preferred. Pretending he lacked the skill with the bow was an easy way to avoid having to use it.

"Since you have neglected your bow skills, I shall make that a condition for the proposal I'm ready to offer you."

"What mean you?" Dayn asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I'm willing to allow you to accompany us on our next mission for Rome, provided that you practice with your bow regularly. We may have need of your bow skills one day, and should that day come, I would have you ready. Are we agreed?"

Dayn briefly considered foregoing bow practice altogether in order to avoid being placed in the quandary of choosing between his brother and his new allies, but just as quickly, he discarded the idea. The others would no doubt become suspicious if he didn't appear willing to do anything to go with them. Thus Dayn resigned himself to having to make a decision, and with a forced smile, he nodded.

"Yes, Arthur. We're agreed."

* * *

A/N: I feel as though my creative juices have been revived a bit for this fic, and as such, I was able to brainstorm my way through another chapter. I had planned to end the story with this chapter, but I find myself able to continue for at least one more, so expect Chapter 11 at some point in the near future. Please review for me!

**BeautifulFirestone**: Thanks for the review! I'm sorry I make you wait so long for the updates, but I hope they're worth the wait. Let me know what you think of this one!

**chiefhow**: I'm trying really hard to link this story up with "Peril," and that means filling in the gaps concerning Dayn's hook-up with the Woads as well as Orainne. It's tricky though, because there's still a two year gap between the two stories, and I'm not certain I want to try and fill in all of it. I've got maybe one more chapter planned, and I'm hoping that will do it. Anyways, thanks for reviewing, and I'll try and pull young Hummingbird in one more time if I can.

**dmitchell**: I know I'm a bit lacking in the Dayn-Orainne department, but it's tricky to get into that, because it will drag the story out for a lot longer than it should go…I'm trying to get scenes of them in without letting it overpower, but I don't know how satisfying it is. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing, and I hope to hear what you think of this chapter!

**Artemis Darkclaw**: I'm glad you liked Hummingbird's appearance—I'll try to pull her in again before the end, but I'll have to see if it'll work. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing for me!

**ModestySparrow9**: So how do you think I'm doing with Dayn and Orainne? I'm trying to include some tender moments without letting it overwhelm the story, but I'm not sure how satisfying it is for everyone…anyways, thanks again for letting me use Adima in the last chapter, and I hope to hear from you soon.

**spamtotz033190**: To my new fan, welcome! LOL, j/k. Anyways, thanks for the review and I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Let me know what you think of this chapter!


	11. Chapter 11: A Loyalty Unbroken

A/N: Finally, after almost a year, here's the final chapter! Hope you guys still remember what's going on!

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Chapter 11: A Loyalty Unbroken

"Illbrech, can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Something troubles you, Sarmatian?" Illbrech asked, staring up at Dayn from where he sat easily at the base of a tree, carefully constructing a new bow.

Dayn looked down, worrying his lower lip with his teeth before heaving a sigh and plopping down next to Illbrech with a bothered gaze.

"Arthur—he's my commander back at the Wall—well, he wants me to ride out with him and the others at dawn two days from now. We're riding into Woad territory—I don't really remember what for—but, well…it's sort of left me trapped. I don't want to fight Woads, but if I don't fight, the others will know that something's not right. I mean, some of my brothers are oblivious, but I think they'll notice if we're attacked and I don't fight back. And besides, I can't stand by and do nothing if some of the Woads attack my brothers. I don't want to kill your people, but I can't just do nothing and let my own be harmed. I won't."

"That is no less than we expected," Illbrech told him calmly, not bothering to look up from his work as he answered. "Merlin sent word out to all the tribes that anyone who raises a weapon against you and your fellow Sarmatians does so at his own risk. The tribes will not come to anyone's aid for such a grave error. Be at ease, Dayn of Sarmatia, and know that you are free to act as you must."

Dayn felt an instant sense of relief well up inside of him, followed immediately by confusion.

"Don't mistake me, Illbrech, I'm grateful, really—but I don't understand. Why would Merlin do that for me? I'm just one of thousands under Roman control at the Wall."

"Merlin says that we will have need of you one day soon. I suppose he thinks you're worth the trouble, my friend."

"What did he mean—that you'll have need of me one day?"

"It is not for me or you to question the wisdom of Merlin. He sees and knows things that we do not. Just accept it and question it no longer."

_Funny, he sounds just like Tristan when he gets all cryptic like that…not that that makes it any less annoying._

"Fine—don't let me in on the big secret," Dayn murmured, mildly annoyed that he was once again being kept in the dark.

"I cannot tell you what I do not know," Illbrech said serenely. After a long moment of silence, Dayn heaved a sigh and shrugged, deciding not to question good fortune. He grinned suddenly, staring back at Illbrech with a mischievous light in his eyes.

"Illbrech?"

"Yes?"

"I happen to know of a Roman caravan traveling north from Eburacum."

"What of it?"

"Well, it's scarcely defended. No doubt they've grown complacent from traveling so long in the south. It would be a simple matter to ambush it, wouldn't you agree?" Dayn said casually.

"We ambushed that band of soldiers only three days ago, Dayn. You would attack the Romans again so soon?"

"It's never too soon to kill more Romans," Dayn replied with a smile.

"You're a bloodthirsty one, Dayn—you'll bring the Roman soldiers down on us all."

"You can hardly blame me for that—the Romans already hold the Woads accountable for everything. What's one more attack?"

Illbrech chuckled, shaking his head with amusement at the sixteen-year-old's logic.

"So can we?" Dayn asked, sounding to Illbrech like a small boy asking for a sweet.

"I will bring the matter before the elders. If they give their consent, then we may target the caravan."

"When will you have your answer?"

"When the elders give it."

"It's always the cryptic answer with you," Dayn complained, slouching against the side of a hut and slowly sliding down into a sitting position.

"Yes, well the elders do what they will _when_ they will. There's nothing you or I can do to influence them, so you have no choice but to be patient, as I am."

Dayn dug at the dirt with the toe of his boot, wondering how he was going to amuse himself until the elders decided. _Hopefully, they'll decide well before I have to leave with Arthur and the others—I could use more practice. And besides, how long does it take to say, "Yes, you can attack the Romans?"_

"Dayn, if you lack a manner by which to amuse yourself, perhaps you might visit with Orainne. She seems to fancy you."

"Yes, but I don't understand a word she says," Dayn said with a helpless shrug.

"All the more reason you should go to her. There is no better motivation to learn the tongue of another people than to better know a woman."

"Well," Dayn said after a moment's consideration, "I suppose if I have to learn, she's certainly a pretty face to teach me." He stood, brushing the dirt off his breeches as best he could before he smiled. "Send me word as soon as you receive a reply from the elders. Don't forget to pose the question to them."

"I'm certain you won't let me forget, my young Sarmatian friend."

Dayn grinned and turned away, heading back towards the center of the village, yelling back over his shoulder.

"Of course I won't," he yelled, laughing before picking up his pace.

* * *

The elders sent word within the day, and the plan to attack was immediately put into action, the warriors moving out before the setting of the sun.

_How did the Romans ever conquer as many lands as they did? They leave themselves entirely too vulnerable to attack_, Dayn observed as they slowly began to tighten the circle they were forming around the Romans_. It's almost a pity, how easily we'll take them. _

Nestled in the crook of a tree branch, he silently watched the Romans trekking noisily through the forest below him, completely unaware and unconcerned. With a mischievous smile, Dayn fingered the smooth wooden bow in his hands, so different from the Sarmatian crossbow he was accustomed to but deadly just the same. He wanted nothing more than to fit the arrow to the bow and let it fly. Though he was fonder of swords, Dayn couldn't help but admire the ease and skill demonstrated by the Woad archers. _And if I am to fight with the Woads, I must fight as they do. So I suppose I'll have to work harder on my archery skills._

His eyes darted to the tree next to him, where Illbrech was concealed amongst the dark shadows and leaves. Illbrech had only to give the signal and the attack would begin, but Illbrech merely smiled at Dayn before looking down once more. Dayn watched the older man's eyes gaze down upon the Romans, knowing that Illbrech was considering angles of attack and how best to cut off all escape routes before the ambush began. At last, he issued a soft, warbling whistle, and within the trees, Woads suddenly came to attention, gathering their feet under them and fitting arrows to their bows.

An eerie silence fell over the forest, as though the very earth sensed the coming attack, but Dayn knew well enough that the silence was only an illusion. Suddenly, Illbrech stood up on the branch he'd crouched on and released a ear-splitting shriek that echoed through the trees. And that quickly, chaos erupted on the ground below. Horses, panicked by the noise, began to rear, and soldiers began to yell orders, but the damage had already been done. The first arrow flew from the trees, striking the officer in charge straight through the heart, and his death signaled the release of a hailstorm of arrows.

After taking down several foes from the trees, Dayn quickly bored of the lack of close-up fighting. Restricted by the trees, Dayn scrambled down to a lower branch before dropping out of the tree like a silent wraith. He was just fitting another arrow to his bow when the flicker of a torch caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned, and with a dark smile, he ran forward, scowling when a Roman soldier intercepted him. He ducked under the Roman's sword, slinging the bow across his back and drawing his dagger, wanting to dispatch the soldier quickly. The Roman swung again, steel slicing through the air, and once again Dayn ducked. He came up under the Roman's guard, driving his dagger into the soldier's chest before shoving him aside. _Sorry, I don't have time to disembowel you properly—I have plans. _Jumping over the body, he darted forward, grabbing the side of a wagon where a torch hung precariously in a makeshift sconce along the wagon's frame. _This should do nicely._

Swinging himself inside the wagon, he made quick work of the soldier within with little more than a minor scratch. With his dagger, he quickly cut a swath of the soldier's cloak, and pulling an arrow out of his quiver, he wrapped the piece of cloth around the head of the arrow, tucking the end in securely. Spotting the jars of wine in the corner of the wagon, he crawled over and lifted the lid of one, dipping the arrow in and dousing it liberally in the dark wine. He repeated the process with several more arrows, moving as quickly as possible so as not to miss any more of the attack. Finally, with the arrows in hand, he ducked back outside and grabbed the torch, his feet landing lightly on the ground as he hurried back, gaining a bit of distance from the wagons.

He jabbed the end of the torch into the ground and retrieved his bow, and with a grin, he set the end of the arrow to the torch, watching as the wine-soaked tip immediately caught fire. Quickly, he set the arrow to the bow, took careful aim, and let the arrow fly.

The flaming arrow struck precisely where he'd aimed, striking one of the wagon drivers in the chest and sending him crashing off the seat and onto the bed of the wagon. The lingering flames quickly caught the canvas of the wagon cover, and Dayn crowed with success as the wagon was consumed in flame. Taking up another arrow, he aimed at the next wagon with similar results, watching the flames erupt with morbid fascination, even as individual battles raged around him. Spying a group of Romans attempting to use a wagon as cover against the attacking Woads, Dayn smiled, sending a third arrow at the wagon, feeling an intense satisfaction as the wagon seemed to explode into flames, forcing the Romans to abandon their cover and run for it. _Fools—they should have paid better attention to their surroundings. They're running straight at the Woads in the brush there_, Dayn thought with amusement, watching as the Woads easily dispatched the group of Romans.

A single soldier, spotting him among the shadows as a result of the torch pointing out his position like a beacon, ran forward, intent on taking Dayn out of the battle. Taking the last arrow, Dayn set it aflame and jabbed it into the soldier's eye, effectively taking him out even as he mourned the loss of the arrow. _I could have made better use of that, you Roman bastard_, Dayn thought in annoyance. _Oh well, I was tiring of the bow anyway. _And with a shrug, Dayn slung the bow once more over his shoulder and retrieved his sword, eager to meet his opponents face-to-face.

With a fierce yell, he ran at the first Roman he came to, tackling the man to the ground and stabbing his sword down before the man even had a chance to react, feeling the sword penetrate the Roman's stomach with a satisfying spray of blood. Dayn felt the spatter of blood hit his face, blending and smearing the blue woad that had been painted across his features.

Sensing someone behind him, he whirled around, barely getting his sword up in time to block the sword aimed at his head. With a twist of his wrist, he turned his opponent's sword aside, using his shoulder to jostle the Roman before him, forcing the man off-balance. He tried to catch the man with a blow to his torso, but the Roman parried, forcing Dayn to take the defensive. Two more Romans hurried over, and Dayn realized with a growing sense of alarm that he was quickly being outnumbered.

_Bastards are trying to surround me—there's no way I'm letting them sneak around behind me. _Dayn put his back to a tree, effectively ensuring that no one could take him from behind. Still, the situation was looking grim as two of them moved in on him together, one of them successfully opening up a long gash along the inside of Dayn's forearm. Dayn cried out in pain, and that quickly, his anger exploded in a torrent of unrestrained violence. With a vicious roar, he lashed out at the nearest opponent, his kick driving the man to his knees with a grunt of pain, leaving himself completely unguarded and open to attack. With a fierce swing of his sword, Dayn decapitated the fallen man, turning without a second glance to take on the next Roman, his eyes seeming to glow with a hidden fire from within as he brought his sword around in a downward slash that ripped open his opponent from shoulder to waist.

Sweat poured down his face, matting his hair and stinging his eyes, but he paid it no mind, just as he ignored the way the slick, hot blood that covered his hands and arms made his grip on the sword's hilt precarious.

"Woad scum—we'll show you what happens to those who defy the might of Rome," one of the Romans sneered. His words only seemed to inflame Dean further, and with a bloodcurdling yell, Dayn ripped into him, his sword unrelenting as he drove the Roman back, beating him into the ground before the unfortunate soldier's sword arm finally tired and could no longer block Dayn's blows.

Dayn lost track of time after that, and the next thing he knew, he was kneeling on the ground, Illbrech staring back at him with concern.

"Are you well, Sarmatian?"

"Tired." _And sore_, he thought, wincing at the ache in his arms and shoulders.

"Come, Dayn—we mustn't tarry here. The Romans will eventually send someone to look for their missing comrades, and there must be no trace of us."

Dayn let Illbrech pull him to his feet, casting a look back over his shoulder to see the charred remains of several wagons and a lot of dead Romans littering the ground. With a weary smile, he slowly turned his back and trudged wearily after the others, relieved to see that the Woads were already helping their injured mount the now rider-less Roman horses, the dead already taken ahead. _Thank the gods I don't have to carry anyone this night. I don't think I'd be able to_, Dayn thought, stumbling with fatigue.

When they reached the village, Dayn dropped down beside one of the fire pits, his eyes staring blankly at the flames before him. Dayn wasn't sure how long he sat there in a stupor, but he a presence beside him forced his tired eyes to look away from the flames. Merlin sat beside him, staring at Dayn with an uncanny gaze, forcing Dayn to edge backwards warily.

"You fought well. But you are weary."

Dayn said nothing, and Merlin smiled at him, a strange smile that seemed to hold a hidden meaning, as though he knew something that Dayn didn't. _Creepy bastard_.

"Here, drink," Merlin said, holding out a mug with a dark-colored liquid inside.

"What is it?"

"It is but something to welcome you to the fold," Merlin replied mysteriously. He pushed the cup into Dayn's hands, waiting expectantly, and though he felt a sense of unease, Dayn raised the cup to his lips and slowly took a sip.

He was immediately wracked with coughing, and the cup fell from his hands as dizziness assailed him.

"Shit," he murmured, feeling his body slowly begin to fall to the side. Merlin caught him, cradling his shoulders as he lowered Dayn to the ground.

"You are the dragon, the one sent by the gods to prepare the way for the one who will save us. You fight with us, and as the goddess has placed her mark upon you, so too, do we."

And as Merlin's words whispered through his confused mind, Dayn felt everything go black, instantly and painlessly black.

* * *

Dayn came awake with a groan, groggy and confused as he opened his eyes to find himself staring up at the roof of a thatched hut. A hand appeared in his line of vision, stroking his right cheek gently, and a second later, the face that went with the hand appeared, leaning over him with a gentle smile.

"Orainne," he mumbled. His face and neck felt strange, an odd mixture of numbness and distant pain, as though his skin had been flayed, and Dayn frowned. A moment later, a cool sensation penetrated the numbness as Orainne smeared something cold along his face and neck.

"Sleep," she whispered to him, and with one last look at her, Dayn's eyes fell shut, and he succumbed to the darkness once again, the last thing he heard a strangely familiar female whispering in his mind.

"_So at last, you take your place among my people. You will do much to bring freedom to this land in the days to come, and I accept you. May your presence among those I watch over prove to be all that I have hoped."_

* * *

When next he woke, Dayn's eyes shot open, his mind instantly clear as his gaze darted around the hut enclosing him, trying to figure out where he was. Orainne lay beside him, a peaceful smile on her face as she slept curled up by his side, her hand resting gently on his arm, which, he was surprised to note, had been bandaged.

"How long have I been here?" he murmured, gazing around in confusion. _For that matter, where exactly _is_ here? What the hell happened to me last night? The last thing I remember is Merlin giving me that damned drink. Nasty, that was. _At the sound of his voice, Orainne stirred, and as her eyes opened, she smiled prettily up at him, and Dayn could only smile back at the look of happiness on her face. She stood, grabbing his hand and pulling at him, encouraging him to stand. She said something to him, then, and Dayn reluctantly climbed to his feet, stumbling a bit before righting himself and allowing her to pull him along.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked her, though he suspected she wouldn't answer. _No doubt she hasn't an idea of what I said. _She led him to a shallow pond, one suitable only for bathing, and he frowned as she led him to the water's edge.

"Look," she told him, and by her gesture, it was easy enough to understand her. Committing the word to memory, he stepped up to the edge of the bank and, with a questioning look at her, glanced down, only to stare in shock at what he saw.

"How…what…who did this? And why?" he asked, looking up at Orainne in distressed confusion before glancing once more at his reflection. The dragon tattoo that now adorned his face began at his temple and trailed down his jaw and neck, the elaborate design ending at his collarbone. The skin was tender, he noticed, as his fingers gently traced the edges. Illbrech's face appeared suddenly beside his own, and Dayn glanced up to see the older man staring down at him.

"Do you like it?"

"It's… striking. But I don't understand—why? "

"All warriors chosen by the gods are marked, and you are no exception, Sarmatian. Merlin thought the dragon suited you best. I must commend him for his choice—after all, you have a certain fondness for fire, I think. And you have a decidedly heated temperament. An appropriate choice, the dragon."

"I guess I can't argue with your logic," Dayn said with a sheepish grin, turning to look once more at the dragon tattoo. Orainne caught his eye, smiling shyly back at him, and Dayn felt a sense of happiness well up inside him. _These people are not my own…but they accept me. I'm as welcome here as I am among my brothers. And what's more, they don't doubt me._

"You'd better be off, Dayn—you'll be missed at the soldier-fort," Illbrech told him, breaking into his reverie. Conceding the point, Dayn hurried back to the hut for his belongings, Orainne at his heels. Pulling the hood of his cloak up around his face, he secured his dagger at his waist and straightened to leave. Orainne looked up at him hopefully, and stepped forward to touch his arm.

"You return soon?" she asked haltingly, and at her hopeful expression, Dayn felt the aching sense of loneliness that often assailed him slowly melt away. _Sometimes I feel like the others see me as nothing more than an annoyance, someone they have to look after. But I don't feel that here. They want me here. Orainne wants me here. I'm not useless anymore._

"As soon as I can," he told her, speaking slowly and adding a nod to be certain that she understood. She smiled and Dayn couldn't stop himself from leaning forward and kissing her before he smiled down at her mischievously and hurried out, running for all he was worth back to the garrison.

_Maybe they didn't notice my absence. No doubt I'm fooling myself—Arthur notices everything. And if I'm lucky enough for Arthur to have not noticed, Tristan will surely have noticed. Nothing gets past him. And then there's the matter of trying to explain the tattoo on my face. They're not so oblivious that they'll fail to notice it. But then…maybe if I don't say anything…_

Sneaking back into the garrison actually proved easier than sneaking out, and when Dayn walked into the main hall to take his customary seat at the Round Table, no one would have suspected that he hadn't been within the walls the previous night.

He sat down, pulling a bowl of fruit closer to him, examining the fruits within for the finest-looking one before finally settling on an apple that looked the most appealing. Grabbing a nearby knife, he started to carve the apple, failing to notice that the others had ceased all activity and were staring at him. Finally, sensing their eyes on him, he glanced up, frowning.

"Why do you all stare at me?"

"Well, you show up suddenly with a tattoo covering your face, Dayn—perhaps that's it," Lancelot said sarcastically. "And for that matter—why are you wearing a torque?" he asked, nodding at the golden ornament around his next that Dayn had forgotten to leave in his quarters. "Are you trying to be a Woad now, Dayn?" he finished with a teasing laugh.

"Maybe I am," Dayn replied snidely, his reply possessing an edge that might have been ignored if he'd been speaking to anyone other than Lancelot. But the antagonism that always seemed to exist just under the surface between himself and Lancelot ensured that no insult or retort, imagined or not, went unnoticed. "Afraid?"

"Merely in your dreams, boy. Where have you been anyway? No one has seen you since early yesterday morning."

"My whereabouts are none of your concern," Dayn snarled, his eyes narrowing on Lancelot.

"Concern? Who said I was concerned? I'm just wondering if we're going to have to clean up another one of your messes."

"My mistake. Of course you're not concerned, you're just an ass with a tendency to meddle in things that don't concern you."

"_I'm_ an ass?" Lancelot asked incredulously. "Well if I'm an ass, then that would make you a--"

"That's enough," Arthur cut in, effectively putting a stop to the bickering before it could go any further. "We ride out tomorrow, and whatever tension exists between you two, I want it gone by the time we leave. For now, however, I'd settle for you both simply keeping your words to yourselves. The rest of us are trying to eat in peace."

Dayn spared one last hostile look at Lancelot before he went back to his apple, applying the knife to the fruit with steady hands.

"What happened to your arm, Dayn?" Dagonet asked suddenly, cutting into the silence.

"Oh…that." _Come, Dayn, think of something before they get suspicious._ "I was…sparring with someone, and my attention strayed. Clumsy of me," Dayn lied, keeping his eyes down so as not to be caught in his lie. _He won't know if he doesn't see my eyes._ Dayn knew exactly which knights he could lie to effectively, and he knew well enough that Dagonet only fit into that category if Dayn could avoid meeting the older man's gaze.

"If you're that clumsy, perhaps you should stay behind when the rest of us leave tomorrow, and practice more," Lancelot said acerbically.

"And perhaps you should stay out of it! No one was talking to you!" Dayn snapped back.

"That is enough!" Arthur yelled, bringing his fist down on the table with a loud boom. "We _will_ eat in peace—is that understood?"

Neither Dayn nor Lancelot answered, both falling silent at the anger on Arthur's face. An uncomfortable stillness settled in the room, no one willing to speak in the aftermath of Arthur's loss of temper.

Suddenly, Caderyn tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh and ended up snorting instead. Everyone looked over at him, and as soon as he realized they were staring at him, he began to roar with laughter.

"Caderyn, what could you possibly find _that _funny?" Arthur asked dryly, staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Caderyn gasped, trying to speak around his laughter, "But it's just…those two act like two old women, bitching and snarling at each other…you'll have no more luck stopping them than you would the old women," he laughed. The tension broke, and everyone began to chuckle, minus Dayn and Lancelot.

Caderyn laughed until he was gasping for air, long after the others had ceased. It wasn't long before he was the only one still laughing as the others looked on with mild amusement, as every time it seemed like he'd finished, he'd double up with laughter again.

"I'm sorry—it's not even that funny, but…" he said, breaking off and holding his stomach as his amusement overtook him once more.

"Cade, enough already," Dayn said gruffly, shaking his head at his friend.

"C'mon, Dayn, let's go to the practice yards" he said finally, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes and climbing to his feet. "My stomach hurts from laughing so much, and it looks like you could use the practice." With a final chuckle, he hauled Dayn out of his seat, and together they walked off to spar together, likely their last opportunity before they left on the morrow. His earlier anger at Lancelot forgotten, Dayn followed without argument, realizing soon enough that Caderyn had likely done him a favor. _Thanks for diverting everyone's attention, Caderyn. I'll have to find a way to pay you back someday._

* * *

Hours out and many miles away from the garrison the next day, the weather had turned, and a cold rain fell as Caderyn came up beside Dayn, slowing so that he could ride alongside the younger knight.

"Are you worried, brother?" Caderyn asked him, casting a quick glance at the younger knight before looking forward once again.

"About what?" Dayn asked as he steered his horse, Brina, around a particularly large puddle.

"Your first real battle…well, the _potential_ for your first real battle. There's no guarantee, of course, but the odds are in our favor that we'll encounter some Woads before the journey is done."

"Oh, no, I'm not worried." _If you only knew how many times I've already fought…though I'll grant you, never against the Woads. Only the Romans. But they'll do._

"That's good to hear. You'll fight better without fear getting in your way. But then, you've always been fearless, and you certainly fight as though you were born to it," Caderyn said with a laugh.

"Who says I wasn't? I'm Sarmatian, aren't I?"

"True, brother, true."

Cei rode up beside them suddenly, interrupting the moment as he motioned ahead with a nod.

"Something's happening. Arthur and the others ahead are stopping."

Dayn and Caderyn looked up simultaneously to see Arthur stopped alongside a panic-stricken man standing at the side of the road, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath and speak at the same time.

"That's no scout, and he's most assuredly not a Roman," Caderyn remarked as they took in the look of him. The man's clothes were threadbare, his cloak tattered and dirty, and he was completely unarmed.

"Who do you suppose he is, Cade?" Cei asked, knowing that Caderyn's propensity for gambling made him awfully astute when it came to reading people.

"Looks like a Briton. He's too poor to be anything else," Caderyn answered, his eyes taking in all the nuances and characteristics.

"What do you think he wants?" Dayn asked.

"Couldn't say. Not without getting closer."

"Well, let's go, then," Dayn retorted, nudging his horse into a trot. With Caderyn and Cei right behind him, the three moved up behind Arthur, Dayn coming to a stop next to Lancelot, who looked none too happy about the situation that was taking shape.

"Please, my lord, they'll kill us all," the Briton was saying, his eyes pleading as he stared up at Arthur in desperation.

"Arthur, we haven't the time for this," Lancelot was saying. "We have our orders, and they don't include chasing down thieves who prey on their own people."

"Arthur, we can't turn our backs on them!" Dayn broke in, shocked and angry that Lancelot would suggest it. "Just because the Romans ignore these people doesn't mean that we should!"

"We don't have time for this, Dayn," Lancelot argued. "The Romans we're supposed to escort south are not patient people, and they're waiting for us."

"And since when do you give a damn about the Romans?" Dayn sneered, shaking his head in disgust. "If you care so much, why don't you join them? You quit being a Sarmatian a long time ago, if all you care about is catering to Roman whims."

Anger flooded Lancelot's face, and in one swift move, he dismounted and jerked Dayn out of the saddle by his tunic, hauling him close until they were practically nose to nose.

"I do my duty," Lancelot bit out, "so that one day I can leave this cursed island forever behind me—and if that means patronizing the Romans, then so be it!" His eyes met Dayn's with barely controlled anger smoldering in their depths before he loosened his hold and backed away. "If you ever want to see Sarmatia again, then perhaps you'd do well to learn that lesson as well," he finished coldly.

"You do your duty, then, Lancelot. But me—at least I won't lose my honor in the process."

"What good is honor if you're dead?" Lancelot said, shaking his head bitterly. Turning away, he pulled himself back into his saddle and moved away, leaving Dayn to stare angrily after him before turning back to Arthur.

"Arthur, we _are_ going to help, aren't we?"

"I've never been one to turn my back on those in need, Dayn, so yes, we're going to help. But we need to move quickly. Knights," he called out, motioning for the others who'd reined in their horses some distance away to ride forward, "there's trouble ahead! We're needed."

"Woads, Arthur?" Tristan asked, having waited wordlessly for the argument to be decided before reaching for his bow, accepting the decision without question.

"No—they're not painted."

"As if that means anything. They'll attack anyone without a qualm, even other Britons," Cei pointed out with a scowl.

"That's not true," Dayn argued. "The Woads are an honorable people—they wouldn't attack their own."

"Be reasonable, Dayn—they'd attack their own mothers if they thought they could avoid retaliation," Caderyn said with a rueful shake of his head.

"No, boys, Dayn has a point," Aldric said calmly. "He's right--there's no purpose in it. The Woads fight the Romans because they want their country back. What purpose would fighting their own serve?"

"Can we go now?" Bors interrupted, bringing the discussion to a halt. "It's raining, my ass is hurting, and I could use a good fight. Stirs the blood, keeps me virile, you know?"

"Well, if it's a fight you want, Bors, you shall have it. There's a band of thieves raiding this man's village, and if he's to be believed, there are more than enough enemies to stir your blood," Arthur said with a decisive nod. "Knights, let's ride!"

* * *

As they galloped toward the small village, a dull anger begin to stir within Dayn as he beheld the smoke-laden air. Despite the rain, fires raged and cries were heard throughout the village as the villagers struggled to fight a foe they had no hope of defeating.

"Knights, be careful," Arthur called as they neared the outskirts, "there's no blue paint to help you determine friend from foe. Remember, we're not dealing with Woads."

_A fact which I am eternally grateful for_, Dayn thought. As they reached the village, they began to split off into pairs wordlessly, and Dayn fell in behind Caderyn easily, the two of them heading east.

"Dayn, be careful. And try to keep your wits about you, will you?" Caderyn said worriedly. "Battle madness has its uses, but if it takes you completely, you could be caught unawares. And with this rain, you could lose your footing. I don't want you hurt."

"I'll be fine, Cade," Dayn replied patronizingly, knowing well enough that his battle madness was unlikely to hinder him in the slightest.

"A sword in the back is nothing to sneer at, my friend, and that's what you could well be facing if you don't mind my words," Caderyn said emphatically.

"You worry too much," Dayn said lightly, sincerely wishing he didn't have to pretend he'd never fought real enemies before.

"All I'm saying is watch yourself. Raiders like these are nothing more than curs who'll kill without cause. They'll show you no mercy, so if you tangle with one, don't hesitate."

"Caderyn, when have you ever known me to hesitate in a fight?" Day asked pointedly.

"True," Caderyn replied with a grin. "Still, be careful. I'd hate to have to explain to Arthur that I let you get yourself killed your first time out."

Dayn pulled back on Brina's reins and dropped nimbly to his feet, sending mud and water into the air as he hit the ground and tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. Spotting a figure darting around a corner, Dayn broke into a run, splashing through puddles as he left Caderyn's side without a thought or a word, chasing after the thief he'd seen.

Charging around the corner, Dayn found himself staring at the back of a thief aiming a sword at an elderly man who was trying desperately to shield his family. _These bastards are no better than the Romans—riding into a village and thinking they're entitled to whatever is here, that they can kill anyone who stands in their way. This man doesn't even have anything worth stealing, and yet this cur threatens his family anyway. _

The dull anger he'd felt before began to smolder at the thought of another family torn apart like his was, and without hesitation, he shifted his grip and stepped forward, plunging the blade into the man's back without a word. His eyes met the peasant-man's unblinkingly as the thief fell heavily to the ground, and slowly the man stepped forward, laying a grateful hand on Dayn's arm.

"Did I get here in time? Did he hurt you or your family?" Dayn asked, looking past the man at the man's grown daughter and grandchildren.

"We are unharmed, merely frightened is all," the man said with a gentle smile. Dayn smiled back, his sword dangling at his side as he looked past the man to make sure the woman and her children were unharmed. As his gaze began to shift back toward the man, Dayn caught the growing look of horror overcoming the woman's face, even as she called out.

"Behind you," she cried, and Dayn began to turn, knowing even as he did so that the he wouldn't be able to get his sword up in time to block the man who'd come up behind him. The old Briton suddenly grabbed Dayn by the shoulders and spun both of them around, placing himself between Dayn and his new adversary. With a harsh grunt, his body jerked, and Dayn looked down in dismay at the sword now protruding from the old man's abdomen.

"Keep my family safe," the old man gasped. He slid to the ground and Dayn looked up to face the raider who now stood before him with a leering grin. A dark light came into Dayn's eyes as he raised his sword and suddenly charged, a wordless shout of raw fury erupting from his mouth.

A shower of blood seemed to rain down as he attacked, and Dayn felt a strange sense of detachment come over him. He surrendered to the rage and detachment, allowing them to consume him, even as he felt the hot spray of blood hit his face. In that moment, he forgot everything—who he was, the others, the rain, all of it—as he stood his ground in front of the cowering woman who desperately held onto her children. His body seemed to move entirely of its own accord as he confronted the enemies that emerged from his surroundings, his sword ringing with every strike he made.

_Show no mercy, for cowards such as these deserve none_. The words whispered through his mind, and Dayn agreed wholeheartedly, even as he realized distantly that the words were not his own. _No longer will they prey upon my people, as a wolf culls sheep from a herd. Destroy them all, my Sarmatian warrior._

* * *

It was the screams that attracted his attention, and when Caderyn turned, he realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Dayn was no longer behind him. _Damn it all, Arthur's going to run me through for letting Dayn out of my sight. How long has he been gone? _Striking down the last of the raiders in front of him, he let out a shrill whistle, knowing at least one of the others would respond as he began to run in the direction of the screaming. 

He immediately came to a skidding halt, almost slipping in the mud, when he caught sight of Dayn mindlessly hacking away at anyone who came at him, a feral gleam in his eyes. _Goddess, he never listens! I told him to keep his wits about him, and he goes mad the second I turn my back_, Caderyn groused, trying to push away the worry he felt as he beheld Dayn's complete loss of control.

"Caderyn?" Caderyn turned to see Tristan coming up behind him with Cei right on his heels.

"I don't know what to do, Trist," Caderyn said, casting a worried look at the other knight. "Should we help him, or just stay out of his way?" he asked, gesturing towards Dayn with a helpless look. Tristan followed his gaze, his eyebrow lifting at the sight before him.

"Looks like he doesn't need our help," Tristan said simply, turning back to stare at Caderyn.

"It seems wrong, though, to stand back and do nothing," Cei murmured, watching Dayn with wide eyes, shaking his head ruefully.

"You'll only get hurt if you wade into the fray. Best to stay back," Tristan replied, his answer aimed at both of them.

"Do you think he'll snap out of it before Arthur gets here?" Caderyn asked worriedly.

"Hard to say. I suppose it depends on how many raiders are left."

_I should have known not to expect a true answer from Tristan,_ Caderyn thought in annoyance._. He's never given a straight answer in his life. I can only hope the Goddess of Fortune is smiling down upon us, and Dayn comes to his senses before Arthur arrives, because if not, we could be in for trouble. _

Only moments passed before Bors and Dagonet arrived, responding to Caderyn's whistle, with Lancelot only a step behind them. _Which can only mean that Arthur won't be far behind_.

"Damn," Bors said, "I knew the boy showed a certain penchant for violence, but I think I underestimated him," he said, wiping at the rain that was dripping into his eyes.

"And you argued with Arthur when he said Dayn wasn't ready for the responsibility that comes with owning a sword," Lancelot told Caderyn pointedly, a look of intense aggravation on his face. "He's going to end up killing some innocent bystander, Caderyn—look at him!"

"He's not going to kill an innocent bystander, Lance," Caderyn argued hotly. "Open your eyes—he's protecting that woman and her children," he said, nodding towards the woman, who was shielding her children as best she could from the fighting.

"And how sure are you that he won't turn on her? Because I'm not, and I'm not about to risk her life or Arthur's wrath simply because you think you know what Dayn will or will not do!" Lancelot bit out.

With a sudden shudder, Dayn felt reality come back into focus with a clarity that was startling, his mind whirling at the sudden onslaught of sensory information: the voices of the others merging with the woman's fearful sobs, the coppery scent of blood hitting his nose, the harsh crimson gleaming on his sword, the cold steel resting in his hands, the feel of the blood mingling with the rain as it streamed off of him. He stumbled, reeling from the assault on his senses, and Caderyn stepped forward hesitantly as he saw Dayn struggle to stay on his feet.

"Are you alright, Dayn?" Caderyn asked, turning away from Lancelot and abruptly ending their argument.

Fighting the urge to sink to the ground wearily, Dayn gazed around with a dazed expression before he slowly nodded, looking down at his limbs as though they weren't his own. _Battle madness again. Too bad it doesn't change anything,_ he thought painfully.

"Better question, Dayn, is did you kill anyone you shouldn't have?" Lancelot broke in.

Ignoring Lancelot and the others, Dayn turned away, staggering over to the woman, who was rocking her children in her arms as she cried.

"Why did he do it?" Dayn asked her softly, sinking to his knees at her feet with an agonized look on his face. "Why did he sacrifice himself to save me?"

"Father knew that you were our best hope for survival," she said, choking back a sob. "He saved you, so that you could save us. And so you did. By saving you, he saved us, too." Dayn fought back tears of his own as he looked over at the old man's body, lying almost forgotten amidst the fallen thieves that surrounded them.

"I'm sorry. I should have paid attention—I shouldn't have let him catch me unaware. I made a mistake," he told her softly, unable to look her in the eyes.

"No, you did the best you could," she told him fervently. "Do not blame yourself—our fates are in the hands of the gods. If my father was fated to die this day, nothing you could have done would have changed that. All is as it should be. You did as he asked—you kept us safe."

Dayn sat back on his heels, tired, sad, and confused. His vision blurred, though whether from fatigue, the rain, or unshed tears, Dayn couldn't say.

"Dayn, are you hurt?"

Hearing Arthur's voice, Dayn blinked, refocusing his gaze on his commander who was kneeling down beside him, his eyes filled with concern.

"I don't think so," Dayn murmured.

"It's always hard the first time," Arthur said kindly, squeezing Dayn's shoulder gently.

"What?" Dayn asked, blinking in confusion.

"The first kill—it's hard on a man."

_Well, seeing as this is far from being my first kill, it's really not so hard,_ Dayn thought absently, his mind still on the fallen old man.

"Killing your first man is never easy," Arthur was saying, and Dayn couldn't help but disagree.

_Actually, Arthur, given the right motivation, killing your first man can be astonishingly easy_, he thought vaguely, recalling with clarity the ease with which he'd killed Claudius that day so long ago. _I don't feel a thing for those men I killed. How is it that I can feel nothing for them, but my heart aches at the death of an old man that I never even knew._

"Don't worry for me, Arthur—I'm alright," Dayn replied firmly, trying his best to smile past the ache in his heart.

"I will always worry for you, Dayn. You're the closest I have to a son of my own," Arthur said quietly, staring at him kindly.

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes. I've watched you grow from the time you were a small boy, and today, I watched you take your true place among us," he told Dayn with a smile, pride evident on his face.

"But…I've caused you nothing but trouble ever since I came here…and…I know you worry that I don't…that I don't feel the remorse for killing that I ought to…that I'm not the sort of knight I should be," Dayn said, looking away dejectedly.

"Dayn, you are every bit the man I thought you would be, and know that while I will always worry for you, I do not think any less of you than I do of any of the others. In all the ways that matter, Dayn, you will always hold a place in my heart. As all of my knights do."

"I struggle sometimes to follow your orders, Arthur, but I'll do my best to serve you. And I won't fail you," Dayn said intently.

"I know you won't. You will do us all proud," Arthur said with a smile, clapping him on the back in a swift hug. Releasing him, Arthur came to his feet and walked back to his horse, leaving Dayn to sit in stunned silence, heedless of the rain drenching him and the mud he was kneeling in, as a sense of contentment welled up, swallowing some of the rage that was a perpetual part of him.

And finally, Dayn felt like he was at last one with his fellow knights and his commander. His brothers. His family.

* * *

A/N: Well, that's it, guys. "Peril of Secrets" pretty much picks up after this, albeit with a couple of years in between. I hope you all enjoyed it, despite the excruciatingly long wait that I put you all through. In my defense, I had originally planned to let the story end with the last chapter, but I let myself get talked into another chapter…so yeah, this chapter's been a long time coming. Thanks to everyone who reviewed ages ago! Hopefully, you guys won't mind dropping me reviews to let me know what you thought of the conclusion to this fic. To anyone I might have forgotten, you have my sincere apologies…but I think I got everyone!!

**Marie Kenobi**: I sent you a PM, but I figured I'd give you a shout-out anyways, because you unknowingly inspired the last scene. Thanks for reviewing and inspiring me to add a bit between Arthur and Dayn. Hope it was what you were wanting to see.

**dmitchell**: Thanks, as always, for the reviews. It's sad to think that this story hasn't been updated in a few months shy of a year. Hopefully, you've stuck with me, despite the terrible wait. I'll be lucky if anyone even remembers the story. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing and letting me know what you think—I appreciate it!

**Artemis Darkclaw**: Thanks so much for reviewing, despite my slowness. I always appreciate hearing from you. Still looking forward to an update on your KA story!

**homeric**: I took pity on Dayn and made it easy for him, as far as his loyalties are concerned. Of course, there was never really a question about who he'd side with, because he'd always choose his brothers first. Thanks for the lovely compliments, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Dagg**: You've made writing this fic worthwhile, Dagg. I've really appreciated all of your reviews and your support. I don't necessarily like everything about this chapter, but I think it worked out okay in the end. I'm sure I could have drawn it out a bit more by confronting him more directly with the loyalty issue, but there really wasn't a good way to do it without it interfering with the action in "Peril." So oh well…anyways, I'm still working on "Shattered Soul," with who knows how many more chapters, so I'm not finished with Dayn yet. BTW, thanks for the sympathy as far as the headaches go. I'm headache free as of right now! Sorry to hear about the flooding up your way. Too bad we can't mix it up a bit—let y'all get some of our dry heat and us some of your rain. It's getting pretty toasty here in South Carolina. Anyways, thanks for making it worthwhile to write!

**ModestySparrow9**: Glad to hear you enjoyed the last chapter—I always look forward to hearing from you whenever I post. Granted, it's been forever, since I go so long between chapters. Hopefully, you haven't forgotten me! Anyways, thanks for reviewing!

**chiefhow**: I really enjoyed your last review—it made me laugh. This chapter probably served to solidify your opinion that Dayn is "one scary mofo." Sorry that Hummingbird didn't make one last appearance, but she'll no doubt show up in more chapters of "Shattered Soul." Thanks for reviewing!

**Josje**: I rediscovered your PM to me in my inbox, and I couldn't remember if I'd responded to you. So here's your shout-out—lol! Thanks so much for reviewing and letting me know what you think! I really appreciated your message—it made me feel so great to know that people were still reading and enjoying my Dayn stories. Hope you enjoyed this one as well!

**spamtotz033190**: Hey, I just realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I totally neglected to read the rest of your story! I was double-checking my inbox and found your PM to me, and I went back to check and realized you've updated numerous times and I just missed it! So sorry! I'll pick it back up and hit you with a review, I promise! Anyways, thanks for sending me a review, and I'm sorry I suck so much at returning the favor!


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